Coffee Traditions Around the World...

Wherever your travels may take you, there’s one thing you can always find... It's the miracle elixir behind humanities success, it's the essence of life, it is sweet, hot, humble - coffee. From Europe to Africa to Australia, every country has its own unique take on the magical bean. As one of the most ancient, influential and universally treasured substances in history, coffee is an integral part of many cultures around the world. Let’s explore a few of these cherished coffee traditions, and if that joint’s got you feeling a bit dozy, you can always sample some for yourself right here at Lost in Amsterdam...  

Italy: Espresso - Of course, it would be rude not to start our tour of coffee traditions in the coffee capital itself; Italia! Venice was one of the first European ports to import coffee beans way back in the 16th century, but it was the invention of the quintessential espresso that made Italy the true leaders of the global coffee club. In 1901, an inventor from Milan named Luigi Bezzera found a way of making a really strong coffee, really fast - and for that, Luigi, we salute you. This little shot of liquid gold was prepared expressly for each customer, by expressing water through coffee; ciao espresso! Just a quick tip - when it comes to coffee in Rome, you really must do as the Romans do... Don’t ask for a latte unless you want to be served the direct translation of the word; a straight up glass of milk. 

Ireland: Irish Coffee, or Caife Gaelach - This coffee classic was originally created by Joe Sheridan, a chef at an airport restaurant in Limerick. After a plane had to make an emergency overnight stop, Joe sweetened the deal for the weary passengers by adding a dash of Jameson’s whiskey, brown sugar and cream to their coffees (if only EasyJet was as kind)! The story goes that a silence of pure contentment descended on the whole plane after the first sip.. Get a taste of this very same bliss with our Irish coffee - who knows, you might even pick up some luck of the Irish ☘️

Greece: Frappé - The ultimate drink for a hot Grecian summer, this refreshing version of coffee was actually created by a happy accident.. During a 1957 summers day in Thessaloniki, at the launch of a new chocolate drink made in a shaker, a Nescafé employee named Dimitris really, REALLY wanted a coffee. In a state of desperation I’m sure we are all familiar with, he threw some instant coffee, sugar and cold water into said shaker, and OPA - the famous frappé was born! Frappé quickly became an important symbol of post-war Greek coffee culture, and it remains the most popular drink in Greece. It is often called the lazy persons coffee, made to be enjoyed at leisure and with good company.. something the Greeks have down to a fine art. And what better place to honour this tradition than right here in the Lost lounge.. we are serving an equally popular variation of frappé called the freddo - an iced latte (shaken, not stirred) with milk foam and whipped cream!

Vietnam: Ca Phe Da - Vietnam is now well known as the second largest coffee producer worldwide, although the little bean has a rather turbulent history here.. First introduced after the French invasion in the 1800s, coffee was regarded as a luxury good and reserved only for French colonials or Vietnamese nobles. Most people, including the coffee bean farmers, were forbidden from enjoying the "luxury" beverage, so they came up with an unlikely way around these restrictions - weasel poo! Weasels love scouring plantations to find perfectly ripe coffee berries to munch on - so the farmers soon discovered weasel poop actually doubled as a selection of the very best coffee beans, ready to be dried, ground and enjoyed! Not only did this give the people of Vietnam access to coffee, but this strange process also produced much sweeter and more aromatic coffee than that which the colonials were drinking. Originally a peasant drink, weasel coffee, or Ca Phe Chon, has now become a rare and sought after specialty, with one kilo going for $800USD! 

Spain: Café Bombón (Cortado Condensada) - The Spanish sure know how to eat and drink, and their traditional coffees are no exception to this rule. The word “bombón” translates to “confection”, which makes sense after you taste this sweet Spanish specialty. Adopted from the Vietnamese Ca Phe Da, or iced coffee, the café bombón is a delectable combo of condensed milk slowly poured over a shot of espresso to form two layers of contrasting colour and taste - exquisito!