For many, drinking coffee is a ritual and a habit of starting the day or a stolen moment for relaxation and enjoyment. For others, and they are also numerous, coffee is a pleasure for the senses, an element of a socio-cultural communication tradition established for centuries. In many places around the world, cafes are an essential element of the cultural history of the given place and have preserved curious and even key moments and events that marked the appearance of a given community. The title of the present text is a quote from Thomas Jefferson, which probably not everyone will agree with, but it cannot be denied that through the history of coffee one can trace part of the cultural history of many countries and regions at the level of everyday life.
The first written records of coffee are from 12th century Arab sources, and coffee beans were found among the remains of the city of Julfara in Ethiopia. In the beginning, the decoction made from the grains and whole leaves of the plant became so strong that the coffee was drunk in small doses as medicine. It is believed that the coffee plant and its invigorating properties were first paid attention to in Kenya and it was defined as its homeland. In this sense, Ethiopia and Kenya have a key role in entering coffee into the daily life of people around the world.
According to some sources, about 2.5 billion cups of coffee are made worldwide per day /for comparison, the daily number of cups of tea is about 6 billion/. If we do a quick overview of regional specifics when consuming coffee, black pepper is often added to it in Morocco, in Ethiopia – they add salt, Mexicans love it with cinnamon, Italians drink espresso, which is simply called “Coffee”, Germans and the Swiss add liquid chocolate, the addition of whipped cream is popular among the Austrians. And now let’s pay more attention to some individual countries that have a specific tradition and role in promoting “coffee culture” around the world without claiming to be exhaustive. As Umberto Eco writes in his essay “How to handle the damn coffee pot” – “There are various ways to make good coffee – Neapolitan coffee, espresso, Turkish coffee, Brazilian coffee, French coffee filter, American”.
Brazil
This country is among the largest producers of coffee, so it is not surprising that there are specific ways to drink this drink. Drinking coffee is very popular, there are many different options for its preparation, it is recommended for consumption at any time of the day and even as a way to achieve a good sleep. It is similar to espresso, it is called “cafezinho” and sugar is added to the water with which it is prepared. There are other popular options for its preparation, such as what unites them is sugar – you don’t skimp on any affirmations. Among the popular recipes is hot coffee, cream and rum with sprinkled cinnamon, which leads to a drink with a hot temper, suitable for the image of the nation.
Vietnam
For a person who has not visited the country, coffee is probably not among the first associations to be associated with Vietnam. It turns out that the drink is extremely popular and is drunk at any time of the day in bars, cafes and restaurants. The history of the drink in this country is associated with the period when in the middle of the 19th century Vietnam was a colony of France and the colonizers brought coffee – the culture with them. On the spot, it undergoes changes and development, so it deserves independent attention. To begin with, coarsely ground grains are used for the preparation, which are placed in the so-called “French drip filter”, hot water is added and through the beads it begins to drain into the glass on which the filter in question is placed. The practice of drinking coffee with sweetened, concentrated milk remains among the French, but the options for combining coffee are not only with fresh milk, but also with sour, fruit and egg. It is also very popular to consume it in the form of an iced drink.
Greece
Here the popular drink is the so-called A frappe whose purpose is to give a moment of cooling freshness and cheerfulness in the summer heat. It is made from a few spoonfuls of granulated coffee or what is popular in our country as “nees coffee”, sugar, flavoring and water. Of course, depending on the taste preferences, it can be made with milk instead of water, do not add sugar, flavoring, etc. The important part of the recipe is to place the mixture prepared in this way in a shaker for preparing cocktails and mix dant until it becomes something like cream and foam. Then cold water is added. This drink was first prepared in this way in Thessaloniki, or at least that’s what the urban legend claims. Today it is among the most popular in all of Greece.
Ethiopia
This country is considered one of the homelands or even the homeland of coffee. To open the first cafes in the world, the Turks took the product itself from the Ethiopians. The beans are called “buna” and the preparation of the drink can last up to 2 hours in the traditional way, and this ritual is a demonstration of great respect for the guest according to the local culture. Only then is it to boil and boil, which is also done in three stages. Today in Ethiopia coffee is drunk with sugar, as in most places in the world, but in its original version, salt or butter with hot spices was added to the drink. And the expression “coffee is our bread” is used
Ireland
The infamous “Irish coffee” contains hot coffee, Irish whiskey and whipped cream. Its history is said to be relatively new and only leads us back to the 1940s, when in Dublin a local chef added whiskey to the coffee of frozen American tourists to help them warm up. When asked if the coffee was Brazilian, he replied that it was Irish. Thus begins the preparation of this drink, which is served in a large glass after dinner on rainy, cool evenings, which are so common in Ireland.
Italy
Coffee entered Italy in the 16th century, when Venice began to trade with it. It is interesting that for a long time the church was against this drink, which came from the Arab countries and therefore denounced it as “devilish” and, accordingly, a drink of infidels. It is believed that a breakthrough in the church’s attitude towards coffee occurred under Pope Clement VIII at the end of the 16th century, who became a connoisseur of coffee and gave his “blessing” to the drink. The claim that Italy is creating today’s culture for drinking coffee in the Western world, and in the world in general, is not accidental. You can start with the capuchin monks in the 16th century, who discovered the taste of coffee with milk, which they whipped over steam until they got a fluffy foam. For resistance to the milk foam, they added a little cream. This is how the cappuccino originated – today among the most popular types of Italian coffee that has conquered the world.
The modern way of drinking coffee, the pleasure of the entire “coffee culture” is associated with Italy. The machine for making espresso was also discovered by an Italian – Angelo Moriondo from Torino as early as 1884. To this day, it is believed that ordering coffee in Italy is an important ritual that will immediately distinguish foreigners. Italians order “coffee”, espresso is a less popular concept used in local culture. For them, coffee means short, strong espresso. If we continue with the rest of the variations the Italians use, macchiato means espresso, to which some foamed milk has been added, Americano is an espresso to which hot water has been added to make a longer drink, a The cappuccino, which is considered the “king” of the so-called White coffees, is an espresso to which warm, foamed milk, possibly a little chocolate, has been added. The group of coffees with milk also includes the so-called “latte”, but with it in Italy you have to be careful, because this word is equivalent as the sound of the word in Italian for milk, so with such an order, you can get a simple glass of milk. The better option is to order a “coffee latte” and then you will get a glass of warm milk with a few drops of coffee in it. Another feature of the local coffee culture is that taking coffee in a disposable cup and on the go is not popular. Coffee is not something that the locals drink for a long time during the day and carry it with them. It is drunk on the leg in the corresponding establishment at the bar itself or on a small table. It is drunk in a maximum of three sips, a few words are exchanged with the bartender or with another of those present, and with that the ritual ends. In other words, the popular phrase “coffee break” in Italy means really temporary interruption of work, drinking a few sips of coffee and continuing with other activities.
Apart from these main types of coffee, which have already been discussed, and with the clarity that ordinary coffee has indisputable dominance, there are still some varieties popular in individual regions and regions of Italy. And so we start with Caffè Corretto, which comes close to the idea of Irish coffee – this is coffee to which liqueur or other type of hard alcohol is added and is used late in the evening. Doppio is analogous to what we call double coffee, and ristretto is a short coffee that has less water at the same dose of ground coffee. The series is complemented by typical Italian variations on the theme of coffee with Cappuccino Scuro, which is cappuccino with less milk. You may not have heard of Marocchino, but when you find out that this is an excellent combination of coffee, cocoa powder and milk flavors, you will be willing to try it. Or you already know this combination of favorite fragrances, but you did not suspect that it has an independent name, and so Italian and alluring.
And here, as in Turkey, coffee is served with a glass of water and it is good to remember that it is drunk before coffee, so that possible other aromas are washed out of your mouth so that your taste buds can fully enjoy the cup of coffee. You can participate in very serious conversations on the topic of which of the Italian cities offers coffee with the most pleasant aroma and taste or features a cafe with the best atmosphere and do not expect to have a unified opinion. Rather, you will enjoy many arguments in support of local patriotism. However, it’s good to know that Turin and Trieste have the best coffee shops loaded with history – these are the birthplaces of the popular brands Lavazza and Illy.
It can be safely said that when communicating at a table with the French, it is good to master the topic and terminology of conducting a conversation dedicated to wine. When drinking coffee with Italians, you should be able to talk to them about coffee and realize that for them it is a very important element of communication and the Italian lifestyle gathered in the concept of Dolce Vita.
Saudi Arabia
Here, the degree of ritualism of the preparation and serving of coffee is very high. It begins with the roasting of the beans, they are passed through the crushing by hand, and only then begins the brewing of the drink with special copper or brass dishes, adding various spices inside – most often cloves and cardamom. The finished coffee is served to the guests in small cups in the order of seniority between them. The rule requires that it be offered three times to the oldest or the oldest among the guests, which he will thank and refuse. Only after this exchange of these gestures of hospitality and reverence does the coffee start, which is poured with the left hand and given to the guests with the right.
Turkey
One of the first cafes in the 16th century is believed to have been located in Turkey. If we have to strive for terminological precision, cezve coffee originates from the Middle East, so some sources claim that it is more correct to call it “Middle East coffee” rather than “Turkish coffee”. According to legend, Turkish coffee originates from “Kiva Khan” (considered the first cafe), discovered way back in 1475 in Constantinople. Despite legends, there are no official sources in confirmation of this theory.
To this day, this country is famous for its excellent taste of coffee. In traditional society, cafes have been and still are places where politicians and intellectuals gather to discuss important political and social issues. It is made in a cezve by boiling together with the ground grains. Because of this, the drink has sediment that remains at the bottom of the glass, and after drinking, the glass is turned over onto the mat, and according to the shape that the sediment paints as it flows down the walls of the glass, your hosts will try to predict your future destiny!
Apart from this almost magical ritual that coffee can be associated with, it should be borne in mind that Turkish coffee is very strong and therefore is usually drunk in the morning or after lunch. It must be served with a glass of water because it is quite strong. The guest sips from this water before the coffee to clear its taste buds and enjoy the aromas of the drink served to it. Another element of the traditional way of serving this coffee is sweetness. In most cases, even during the preparation itself, Turkish coffee is sweetened or served together with some kind of cake, most easily Turkish delight. A sign of the influence of coffee in Turkish culture is also the fact that the word for breakfast in language means “before coffee”, in other words it means the food that will be a “layer” for coffee. Traditionally, various spices can be added to the coffee, also coming from the East – cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, anise.
France
And here, like Italy, drinking espresso is the most popular. Of course, as in many other areas, the differences come at a language level – the name of coffee and milk drinks differ from those in Italy. And so the equivalent of macchiato and noisette – this is an espresso with a little milk or cream served in the same glass as for espresso. The name means hazelnut and the reason for its choice is the color of the drink in which coffee and milk are mixed. The term that should not be used in France is the Italian term is cappuccino. The French call this drink Café Crème – again it’s about espresso with foam milk. As in Italy, this drink is drunk only in the morning and after 11 o’clock it is not considered a manifestation of good taste. But it’s still a matter of individual taste.
The role of the cafe
An important element of presenting the entire ritual and taste picture of coffee drinking is also the history of the places where this happened and continues to be practiced. In the middle of the 17th century, the first cafes in Europe appeared and, like those in Turkey, they soon became more than places where coffee was drunk. The first European city with a cafe was Venice and the year was 1647. The reason is that at that time the city was the most important European port for trade with the Muslim world. In a period of about 20 years after that, cafes are also found in many other port cities, including London, Marseille and Hamburg, and from there they spread in the interior of the continent. In the course of the development of the urban culture of Europe, the cafe began to play an increasingly important role. In a description of Vienna from 1786, Johann Petzl wrote “Coffee shops are one of the inalienable modern needs of the big city.” It presents the cafe as a space for free meetings and communication and expansion of contacts within society. In the course of its development, society increasingly benefits from the availability of free time and cafes also become a place for entertainment, vacations and games. In England, they are called “universities for a penny” because that’s how much the price of a cup of coffee is, and that’s where people listen and participate in discussions, with the uneducated listening to the more educated. By the end of the 18th century, cafes were increasingly established as places to play cards, chess and billiards. This trend was preserved and further developed in the 19th century, when they established themselves as a place for meetings, conversations, games, association and the circle of their visitors became more and more wide. In France, cafes open to the street, as it is to this day, and often leave to light up all night. Gradually, they become available not only to the bourgeois layers, but open to all kinds of social strata. Along with this, there is also a certain specialization in the profile of the city cafes – artistic, luxurious and folk. The first were a center of literary creativity, intellectual discussions, performances. The latter were distinguished by their extremely lavish interior, were shaped as places of luxury, demonstrated wealth and extravagance. The latter were a meeting place for ordinary people and workers and were often located opposite the factories. A culminating point in the development of the cafe, as a place of European identity, is the end of the 19th century. To this day, the cafe is one of the most essential centers of the urban civilization of Europe and is described by Yves Lecken as “a luxury and a pleasure that everyone can afford.”
Over the course of history, drinking coffee has become part of many formal and informal rituals, it accompanies us at the beginning of the day, fills the breaks in our work schedule, ends lunch and helps us to cheer up for the second half of the day, and we can enjoy of its aroma and in the late afternoon or early evening. In any case, its presentation or sharing is a sign of hospitality, closeness and an element of our social belonging. In many cultures, drinking tea or coffee can also be an element of a religious or spiritual ritual. Even if we don’t give him such a responsible role, drinking a cup of coffee in the course of a hectic day is a moment of relaxation, reflection, solitude or shared pleasure.
Unlike tea, where the English have built an entire culture of the food used, there are many different culinary “partners” depending on the time and region. The French start their day with it, adding milk and combining it with butter croissants, Scandinavians and Dutch people also drink it in the morning with milk and combine it with sweets and bread. The Austrians offer their infamous Sacher, apple strudel or other chocolate-based sweets in the cafes. It is good to keep in mind that, like the advice when drinking tea, coffee should not be used as a means of swallowing food. In other words, it is not a manifestation of good taste to both take some bites and “water” them with the coffee. As already specified, before sipping coffee it is good to have drunk water so that we have the opportunity to feel the aroma of the drink without mixing it with other flavors.
You serve the coffees in different cups depending on the type of drink. Espresso is served in a small cup, while most of its other varieties that have added milk are served in a large round glass that resembles a small bowl. Its cold versions are poured into tall glasses. In each situation, the cup has a plate in which there is a small spoon or one with a long handle for the cold drinks. Always before sipping from the glass, we take out the spoon and leave it in the saucer, and before that it has not touched the mouth. All this is done with minimal noise, as well as the write-off of the coffee itself. If we drink the coffee clean, the use of the spoon is unnecessary. The cup is held with the right hand and the saucer with the left and after each sip, the cup is returned to its place. The cup is held only by the handle mainly with the thumb and forefinger, and the other fingers are curled and help hold the cup firmly so that it does not spill the liquid. Biscuits or other sweets are not melted in the glass, no matter how appetizing and pleasant it seems to us, unless we are in a very informal, friendly environment or at home.
It is good to know what is appropriate to offer together with coffee. Of course, in Turkey and in many of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula, it is served with Turkish delight or other types of concentrated sugar cake. But in most of the other places in the world, options are sought that do not contrast so much with the bitter taste of coffee, but complement it. Therefore, it is recommended that housewives serve pieces of dark chocolate or candy, biscuits that are not very sweet or even those with the aroma of bitter almonds that are so popular in Italy.
Coffee Diplomacy
In diplomacy, every ritual and national tradition is very important, which is why preliminary preparation and knowledge of the customs of individual countries can be of key importance for creating a positive impression and environment for achieving the political goals of national foreign policy.
It is believed that offering and serving coffee or tea in different countries can be compared to a good knowledge of how to greet our guests or hosts – handshakes, bow, hugs, etc. Of course, it would be an obvious mistake to serve at Italian tea, or Asian espresso. As a guest in Afghanistan, it is normal to expect sweet tea to be served to you, and in Turkey no one will expect you to drink the coffee grounds at the bottom of your cup, but there are also much thinner nuances to be careful with.
If it is necessary to think about what would be the most easily preferred drink by guests in a business environment, the main options besides water, which a host always has to offer, then the first place will be tea, followed by coffee and fruit juices fall in third place.
In most of the Asian countries, tea is the most popular, but coffee is also served, and the hosts often take into account the preferences of the guests. However, more often expect pure tea to be served there.
In view of the rule that “when you are in Rome, you act like the Romans”, the guests usually accept what the hosts offer them. The often served drink is not even sipped by the guest, which is why the best advice to every host is to never forget to serve water to its guests! It is also necessarily served when serving coffee, so the two things are in a good combination. Tea drinkers are unlikely to drink water. In intensive intellectual work, water is needed for good brain activity, so the participants in every meeting need it, whether they will drink coffee, tea or nothing but water. These rules apply regardless of the level of the meeting. Heads of state also offer water and coffee or tea, accordingly, depending on preferences.
A curious question and detail is the one about decaffeinated coffee. In diplomatic circles, it is said that there are foreign ministers who prefer it, but with an overview of coffee, preferences and the requirement to serve such coffee are rare.
Often, heads of state and royalty travel with an official who knows their nutritional and taste preferences, and it is he who is trusted by housewives when they have doubts about what is more appropriate to offer.
The expression “to drink coffee”, which is so popular in our everyday language, is loaded with meaning going far beyond drinking coffee. This is an invitation to a shared experience, conversation, meeting, closeness, accompanied by the aroma of coffee. This drink is so popular and loved all over the world that it makes us feel part of something big and at the same time familiar wherever we end up. So the cup of coffee has the ability to make us feel at home or anywhere in the world with just the memory of the aroma that has brought us pleasure – magic!
The text was prepared by Bilyana Decheva-Guncheva (1972 – 2022), an employee at the Diplomatic Institute since its foundation, lecturer in the courses on protocol, etiquette and ceremonial, as well as a co-author of a study aid on “Protocol and etiquette in the context of the European Union’.
