If your flat white is starting to seem a little tedious, don’t despair, there are more strange coffees out there than you ever imagined. You may have to book an overseas flight to test drive some of them, but others can be created in your own home, with very little effort. Let’s check them out!
We have it on good authority this fizzy little number is de-licious! If you want to try it, head to the supermarket for a lemon or a lime, a bottle of good quality tonic water, and some freshly ground coffee (better still, make it beans, and grind your own). Oh, and it pays to have some ice-cubes at the ready!
Place 2-3 ice-cubes in a large glass tumbler, along with a squeeze and a slice of lemon or lime. Fill the tumbler up to the ¾ mark with ice-cold tonic. Make a short black espresso (or a pour-over if you don’t have an espresso maker). Pour the short black into the tumbler (a thick head of froth will form). Pop in a straw, and enjoy!
Malaysian Kopi
This thick, oily, sweet brew is what gets Malaysia up in the morning. You can order it black or white, and with or without sugar, but the traditional way to consume it is white, with sweetened condensed milk.
While most coffee roasters don’t roast their beans to within an inch of their lives, Malaysia goes all out to get those beans blackened, and they do it with a double roasting. The first roast blackens the beans, and the second roast combines the beans with margarine (or palm oil) and sugar. The reason for the dark roast and the added flavouring is Malaysian beans are usually Robusta, which is generally considered an inferior bean. However, with the chocolate and caramel flavours created with the added roasting ingredients, this is one of the most delicious caffeinated brews you’ll find. Get the taste by visiting Penang – Malaysia’s food capital of the world!
Swedish Egg Coffee
This Scandinavian coffee is an easy DIY brew to try at home. It’s said to produce a mild, smooth drink with an enhanced caffeine flavour. To make it, set 4.5 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. In a mixing bowl, place 1/2 cup of ground (not instant) coffee, 3 Tbsp cold water, and half a beaten egg. Mix together thoroughly. Once the saucepan of water has come to the boil, add the coffee and egg mixture to it (take care the water doesn’t boil over). Turn down the heat, and leave to simmer for 3 minutes. The egg and grounds will rise to the surface in clumps, with the egg white bringing any bitterness from the coffee with it. Remove from the heat and add ½ a cup of cold water to the saucepan. Leave for a few minutes while the grounds fall to the bottom of the saucepan. Strain through a kitchen sieve, then into cups.
All too hard? Try this!
Sometimes, making yourself a coffee with a difference can seem just too hard. So for those who simply want some pure indulgence, here’s the easy way out: Grab yourself a packet of your favourite totally-coated choccy bics (we recommend Tim Tams or chocolate fingers). Pick up a bag of freshly ground beans from a local coffee roaster – not the supermarket, this time. Go straight home with it (do not pass Go!). Brew yourself a thick, rich short black (and, please, even if you usually like your brew with milk and/or sugar, skip them just this once). Let your coffee cool for a few minutes. Them, bite a tiny corner off the top and bottom of your choccy bic, and taking great care not to burn your mouth, use the biscuit as a straw to suck up your coffee. If you’re like us, you’ll want to make this a weekly Saturday morning treat! Enjoy.