Specialty Coffee Drinks

There are dozens of coffee drinks that originated in on place but have achieved widespread fame. This is just a small selection from the vast field.



Irish Coffee



Vietnamese Coffee

When Vietnam was a French colony, the colonial population wanted coffee with milk- but there was no dairy industry to supply it. They came up with a drip-brewed drink that combined very strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk and served it cold rather than hot. The result is very distinctive, and very sweet, but even people who normally don't take milk or sugar in their may develop a fondness for it. It's a good way to finish a Vietnamese restaurant meal.





Espresso Martini

This popular drink was invented in the 1980s by a prominent London bartender named Dick Bradsell, apparently in response to a request from a model who said she wanted something that 'will wake me up, then f**k me up'. The original recipe is still the best: two shots of vodka, one of freshly brewed espresso, half shot of coffee liqueur and a quarter shot of simple syrup (made from equal parts of sugar and water). Put it in a shaker, fill with ice, shake vigorously until the shaker is frosty-cold, then strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a coffee bean.




Spiced Coffee

In the Middle East and North Africa, coffee is sometimes brewed  with flavoring of spice. Cardamom is perhaps the most common, followed by cinnamon. The best coffee to use is one brewed small and strong, such as Turkish coffee.



Affogato

Properly speaking, this is not a drink but a dessert. It consists of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, served in a bowl or lass, with a shot of espresso poured over. Sometimes a shot of liqueur, especially amaretto, will be poured over as well. Delicious but not the ideal way to start the day.


Viennese Coffee

This should really be called Austrian coffee, because there are so many variations. Halfway between dessert and a drink, it can be made with espresso or with strong brewed coffee and is topped with whipped cream. Milk may be added before the cream, and the cream can be flavoured and/or sprinkled with cocoa or cinnamon.





Turkish Coffee

This is one of the oldest brewed coffee drinks, and is served all over the Middle East and Greece and other countries of eastern and southern Europe. Water, very finely ground coffee and (almost always) sugar are mixed in a small pot with a long handle, heated over a flame until boiling, then left to settle briefly pouring into the coup or glass.




Source: ''Real Fresh Coffee'' How to source, roast, grind and brew the perfect cup
              Jeremy Torz & Steven Macatonia .