Connoisseur - Coffee Art

"Kopi-xiu-dai!" "Kopi-O-kosong!"

Well, aren't these some of the most common terms of beverage orders for kopi well-versed by the locals, especially our glorious timeworn heartland heroes residing in our neighbourhoods. Let's face it, who hasn't stepped into a kopitiam so far in his or her life yet? In case if you're wondering, let me just stop you here for a moment and tell you: NO! This is not going to be a post on kopitiam. Oh, come on. Do you still need me to explain the difference between 'kopi' and 'kopi-O' as part of a 'Kopitiam Connoisseurship' agenda?

Just to sidetrack a little, my duties as an undergraduate, in the form of examinations woes, are officially over...for this semester. During my academic campaign, I've tasted countless cups of coffee just to temporarily ward off drowsiness and stimulate my central nervous system for alertness, as provision for quality revision. However, my newly-found aromatic friends didn't just flow down my throat and right into my stomach to get ingested. I actually consumed enough coffee to be able to savour every cup in keen appreciation, that's how I incidentally took interest in the art of coffee. (Well, there's got to be something to keep me entertained during the boring revision sessions, it might as well be something that I've got to live with throughout the examination period!)

Coffee, like wine, comes in various bodies of taste in the forms of different coffee beans sourced from distinctive places of harvest. The major characteristic difference can be noted in their flavour, caffeine level, body (or mouth) texture feel, and acidity. It depends highly on the regions of growth & harvest together with the species of the coffee beans. There're 2 main popular coffee bean species: Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta. Coffea Arabica is commonly believed to boast a richer flavour than Coffea Robusta. Here's a brief listing of examples:

Coffea Arabica - Colombian, Costa Rican Tarrazu, Hawaiian Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain, Java, Kenyan, Mexican
'
Coffea Robusta - Indonesian Kopi Luwak, Phillipine Kape Alamid

Coffee Roasting is performed to raw green coffee beans into roasted coffee beans, changing its colour,density, and most importantly,smell and taste accordingly to the various levels of roast. However, let's not focus on coffee preparation for today's agenda, since most of us will not be actually getting their hands on making coffee here but rather prefer to visit cafés and savour a nice cup of coffee with the know-hows in telling the difference between the coffee beverages listed on the menu.

Espresso Beverages

Since the local cafés mainly serve Italian-originated espresso-based beverages, prepared by baristas using espresso machines by forcefully subjecting special coffee ground that is between extremely fine and powder state with high pressurized hot water, allow us to briefly describe the major differing significance of the most common espresso drinks.

Espresso: A dark roasted coffee, prepared by a rapid infusion of very hot water through the coffee grounds. This strong coffee is usually served in petit cups known as shots. Sometimes served with a twist of lemon. The strength of the coffee is controlled by the darkness of the beans after roasting, how dense they are packed and the quantity of water forced through them.

Americano: Espresso with hot water added, classically using equal parts each, with the water added to the espresso. Its term arguably derived from the trend habit of Americans' preference to consume their espressos diluted with hot water. Typically viewed as an insult at the Americans' inability to appreciate the 'overwhelming strength' of espresso, although it should be seen as an European way of enjoying espresso.

Cappuccino: Prepared with one shot of espresso, hot steamed milk, topped with a frothy head of milk, all in equal proportions each. Usually served with a shake of cinnamon or cocoa powder on the milk froth. It will vary depending on the strength of the espresso. Traditionally served during breakfast with pastries only in Italy, however it is not being confined so in other countries of modern times where it can be served throughout the whole span of a day.

Café Latte: One third of espresso with two-thirds' amount of steamed milk. Some are served with a slightly higher amount of milk than espresso. Lattes are usually topped with a large amount of foam, approximately 5mm in thickness. Popularly known to feature various forms of decorative arts on top of the milk or foam layer, sometimes with chocolate or caramel syrup.

Café Mocha: Like a latte it is also made of one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk, except with an additional portion of chocolate, typically in the form of syrup or powder. In modern times, there're different variants of it such as white café mocha, where white chocolate is used instead of dark chocolate.

Cafè Macchiato: Espresso 'stained'-topped with a dollop of whipped cream on top instead of foamed milk, traditionally used to 'mark' out its milk content to prevent confusion with an espresso.

Latte Art

Since we're on the theme of coffee art, I thought we should not exclude some latte art from this post. After all, it's a little something that instills as a huge appreciation factor. A nice decorative latte art can be so irresistible to an extend where I will probably not bear to consume it in hope of preserving it as long as possible for admiration.

Feeling a hot craving for that perfect cuppa right now? I'm not sure about you, but I'm sure as hell having a desperate desire for one currently. I'm going to head down now to a cafe, perhaps I might see you there boasting your new-found coffee knowledge to the neighbourhood-friendly barista at Starbucks? See if we can get settled in for a nice chat over a great cup of coffee as well, hmm.

Till then, arrivederci.

MSR Managing Editor

MuHu Son