Coffee Culture Around the World

Coffee culture is nothing new, in fact, it dates back hundreds of years, with the first recorded coffee culture being officially recorded in the 1400's in Yemen, then a major exporter of coffee beans. Even in London, coffee culture was popular as far back as the 1600`s though it mainly attracted scholars and political enthusiasts. These days the drink is as popular as ever and coffee culture continues to bloom all around the world.

America is home to the most coffee drinkers, with most households having their own coffee machines installed and a number of coffee shop chains on most main streets. Here, coffee is an essential part of the morning routine and coffee drinks are varied, from the more recognisable latte to the new iced coffee infusions.

Second to America is Germany, where coffee also remains an integral part of daily life and isn`t necessarily focused around any social scene. For the rest of Europe however, coffee culture is very much based around socialising and in many of Europe`s main cities, the street side cafes and bistros serve coffee drinks throughout the day.

In Northern Europe coffee is taken formally with homemade cakes, pastries and biscuits, much like the UK`s version of afternoon tea. While in Italy, coffee is consumed at any time of day, socially or not. The only thing frowned upon is choosing a cappuccino after lunch, as the milky drink is thought to be too heavy for later in the day. Instead the Italian drink of choice is the espresso.

Coffee culture is extremely popular in Turkey, where they like their coffee very strong and sweet. They have a defined process for making coffee which involves boiling the water three times, grinding the coffee beans very smoothly and then brewing the drink in a special pot called an Ibrik.

Even in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, coffee culture is becoming more popular, although it is still something you enjoy when socialising rather than being drunk at home. In Asia especially the coffee is sweeter and they seem to prefer a cappuccino or mocha.

In New Zealand there are coffee shops and cafes everywhere, from small coffee machine kiosks to large bistros also offering gourmet food and table service. Coffee isn`t just for the social groups either, many business meetings take place over coffee too, with cafes offering internet connections and great work spaces.

Australia have a similar attitude to coffee, some may say an obsession. Introduced back in the 1920`s coffee has become so popular here that now real estate is often priced higher when located close to the best coffee shops. Australians are always in search of the perfect cup and a `short black` is usually the beverage of choice.

In the UK, tea has always been the traditional choice, but coffee is fast on its heels, especially with the number of coffee shops popping up in town centres across the country. Coffee is increasingly drunk at home too, with coffee machines and specialised catering equipment being developed for our own kitchens. It seems coffee culture is well and truly here to stay and what better way to embrace it than with a steaming espresso.