Coffee Traditions - a Quick Tour Around the World

I know that drinking coffee has to be experienced, especially when traveling. You would not want to miss the ambience of the coffee houses of different cultures; you would be totally disappointed if you did. Most of all the coffee beans used in the U.S. do come from other countries. Even in other countries, drinking coffee socially is just what is done. It's a place to play, chat, and just enjoy the moment.

Turkish coffee is sweet, semi-sweet, or without sugar. It is more of a black liquid than water. The best type or flavor, for those of us who are used to sugar is semi-sweet, even if you not used to sugar. The Turks use the coffee grinds at the bottom of the cup to read their fortunes. You would turn your cup over onto a saucer, turn the cup three times and make a wish, wait until the cup is cold, and have your fortune read by the person doing that.

Hawaiian coffee has the rich, volcanic soil, along with the great weather, to grow wonderful commercial coffee beans. Hawaii has over 500 coffee farms on slopes in the Kona districts. Kona brands are one of the top gourmet coffees in the world.

Coffee in Greece holds importance on a daily schedule. That coffee is thick and aromatic with a good layer of grounds at the bottom. It is much stronger than most coffee Americans like to drink. When you go to try this coffee, have something with you to wash the coffee down. Seriously, this coffee is very good. It does take a few sips to get used to the strong flavor.

When looking for a slightly wild flavor that has an exotic touch, coffee from Ethiopia has the roots of origination. This is where the coffee plants originated. When looking for an ethnic coffee in a shop, look for the famous Moka, this is the purest coffee bean. The beans are roasted by each head of the family who grows them, by hand.

Austria has its origins with coffee only after the Turks brought it to Vienna after the Ottoman wars. The coffee plant reached Europe by ship in the seventeenth century; which began the cultivation of coffee in Europe during the eighteenth century. Moka is sold in Austria, as well as Brauner and Einspanner, also Espresso or Kaffee blonde.