A few months ago, I was watching a video about the tiny Japanese cafés and their best coffee, and I got intrigued. Not just by the aesthetics, but by the drinks themselves. Some looked like desserts. Others had ingredients I’d never think to mix with coffee (sweet red beans? yuzu?). The problem? I couldn’t find…
Ever had coffee that made you feel more wired than focused? I sure have. Though I love coffee, and I mean love it. Some days it just didn’t love me back. The jitters, the midday crash, that weird stomach feeling… it wasn’t every time, but enough to make me start looking for something smoother. I…
Ever wonder why your espresso machine never quite runs like the one at your favorite café even though you swear you clean it? I get it. I’ve always said I don’t run a coffee shop. I’m more of a home barista kind of guy. But a couple of my close friends do run actual cafés,…
Ever stumbled on a drink so good it made you pause mid-sip? That was me with the Barraquito. I wasn’t looking for anything special. I walked into a small café in Tenerife and saw this beautiful layered drink glide by on a tray. I asked the barista what it was, and next thing I knew,…
Ever had coffee that made you feel more wired than focused? Though I love coffee and I mean love it, I’ll admit, some days it just didn’t love me back. The jitters, the midday crash, the weird feeling in my stomach… it wasn’t every time, but enough to make me start hunting for something smoother….
Ever thought your morning coffee could jiggle on a spoon? I always loved jelly since I was a boy. It was one of those treats I never got tired of. The fact it’s wobbly, fun, sweet… something about it made me smile. Recently, I found out you can actually make jelly out of coffee. Yep,…
Ever had one of those summer afternoons that turned into a flavor memory? A few years ago, I went over to my friend’s place, and he said, “Look, I saw this recipe on YouTube, Vietnamese iced coffee. We’re making it today.” He brewed it using a weird little metal filter. Now I know it’s called…
When I was a kid, I used to drink Ovomaltine all the time. It was kind of a daily ritual: warm, chocolatey, and somehow made everything feel safe. Fast-forward to a few weeks ago, I was at this little Italian café and saw something on the menu called Caffè d’Orzo. Out of curiosity (and nostalgia),…
Ever wondered why Sweden takes its coffee breaks so seriously? I’ve written about the coffee culture from several countries. From Italy, France, Portugal (me being Portuguese). All of them have their unique drinks and traditions. However, out of all, I’d say Sweden is the most surprising. I have a friend from Uppsala who once told…
Ever wondered if there’s a smoother way to boost your energy than just your regular cup? A few years ago, I was flipping through an old issue of Whole Foods Magazine while learning more about healthy herbs. There was this short piece buried near the back about ginseng coffee. It claimed to boost mental focus…