Ever wondered what makes Italian coffee culture so unique? Before I started Coffee Voilà, I used to sip on cappuccinos and lattes without thinking twice. Just whatever looked good on the café menu. But then I fell down the espresso rabbit hole and started learning about how Italians actually take their coffee. The fact is…
Are you looking for something warm and creamy (kind of like a latte, but more Portuguese)? One of my favorite Portuguese coffee drinks, hands down, is the galão. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid, usually enjoying it with thick buttery toasts or a tosta mista (which is basically a hot ham and…
Ever wondered what coffee in Portugal is actually like beyond just “an espresso”? I’m Portuguese and kind of embarrassed to admit this, but after two years of running Coffee Voilà, I’ve never written a proper post about our coffee culture. Crazy, right? We’ve got all these unique drinks with names like galão, pingado, and café…
Ever wondered what kind of coffee people drink in Spain? I have a Spanish friend who owns a small coffee shop right here in Portugal. His whole vibe is laid-back, but he takes coffee seriously. One day I asked him why his menu didn’t have frappes or flat whites, and he smiled and said, “This…
Ever thought Greek coffee and Turkish coffee were basically the same thing? Well, me too. Most people, including myself in the beginning, assume it’s two names for the same strong, and foamy brew. But that changed one afternoon when a Greek friend of mine insisted on making coffee his way. He pulled out this tiny…
Do you need all those buttons to make good espresso? I sure thought so. A few years back, I got swept away by the sleek design, flashing lights, and promises of “café-quality coffee at home.” I won’t even mention the brand, let’s just say it rhymed with “Regret-presso.” It looked amazing on my counter, but…
Ever crave that sweet, creamy caramel macchiato but hate the line at Starbucks? One thing I genuinely enjoy about Starbucks is their Caramel Macchiato. I mean, it isn’t your traditional espresso macchiato, sure—it’s more like a dessert in a cup. But man, that mix of vanilla, espresso, and caramel hits the spot. The problem? I…
Did you know that some Nespresso machines can brew a better-iced latte than your neighborhood café? No kidding. Recently, I’ve found myself way more into Nespresso than I expected. I think it’s the whole summer vibe creeping in. You know warm mornings, slower pace, a little laziness in the air. I didn’t want to mess…
Did you know espresso can have up to 12% dissolved solids in your cup? That means nearly one-eighth of what you’re sipping is actual coffee compounds and not just water. I was scrolling through Reddit’s r/coffee one night, totally lost in the brew nerd rabbit hole when I kept seeing people talk about “TDS.” I…
Are you just pressing down your espresso puck and hoping for the best? When I bought my Barista Express a few years back, I was excited to pull shots at home. I seriously had no clue what I was doing. One thing that really tripped me up was when a friend of mine (he’s a…