Coffee World
Introduction:
Many of us start the day with a cup of coffee. It is, without a doubt one of the most popular drink in the world.
It is hard to know when and how coffee is first discovered. But there are various myths and legends about coffee beans. Some tell the story of a goat herder who noticed his goats became extremely energized after eating certain type of berries. By the 17th century, coffee came to Europe and the demand for coffee gradually increases.
Drink coffee can help improve focus, keep us energized, and burn fat. Caffeine in coffee can improve our memory, mood and brain function. It may also lower the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Type of coffee beans
Depend on its cultivation region, coffee beans are different in color, shape, size and flavor. The four main coffee varieties are Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica. Among these, Arabica and Robusta are the most common type.
Arabica is the most produced coffee beans; make up for around 60% of the world’s coffee. It grows in higher altitude of at least 2,000 feet. Arabica coffee beans have delicate flavor and lower acidity compared with other types of coffee.
Robusta coffee beans have stronger flavor and contain more caffeine than Arabica. Unlike Arabica which grow in high altitude, people can grow Robusta in lower altitude with less growing restrictions. The price for Robusta is low, making it suitable for mass production.
Types of coffee drinks
Today, coffee is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. In different countries, coffee is prepared by local peoples in different ways. Because of that, hundreds of different types of coffee drinks are created.
Here are list of 40 most popular coffee drinks around the world
- Basic brewed coffee
- Ice brew coffee
- Cold brew coffee
- Turkish coffee
- Cafe Au Lait
- Mazagran
- Short black or Single espresso
- Restretto
- Americano
- Long black or lungo
- Caffe crema
- Cafe Zorro
- Cafe Cubano
- Cafe Con Hielo
- Moka
- Cappuccino
- Galao
- Latte
- Piccolo Latte
- Flat White
- Caffe Breve
- Mocha
- Cafe Borgia
- Macchiato
- Cortado
- Cafe Con Leche
- Cafe Bombon
- Red Eye
- Black Eye
- Dripped Eye
- Lazy Eye
- Cafe Affogato
- Frappe
- Carajillo
- Espresso Romano
- Espressino
- Vienna
- Irish Coffee
- Vietnamese coffee
- Oliang Coffee
Tea World
Introduction
Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. Apart from herbal tea, all true tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The way the tea plants is farmed, its region, the harvesting and processing methods create different types of tea.
The history of tea starts in Southwest China, with evidence dated back to 3rd century AD. Later on, Japanese Buddhist monks who travelled to China brought tea seeds back to Japan. In 1606, the Dutch brought the first shipment of tea from China to Holland and then to other countries in Europe.
People worldwide love tea not only for its taste but also for its wonderful health benefits. Tea is high in antioxidants and amino acids. Some of its benefits include improving gut health, heart health; lower “bad” cholesterols, blood sugar level and decrease the risk of chronic diseases.
Types of tea
Black tea is the most consumed tea in the world. After harvest, the tea leaves go through wilting, bruising, rolling, and oxidation process. The last part, oxidation exposed the tea leaves to oxygen-rich air; turn it from green to dark brownish-black color. It results in black tea with strong tannin, caffeine and flavor. Some of the popular black teas are English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Orange Pekoe.
Green tea is famous for its great health benefits. It is made from un-oxidized, unfermented tea leaves. Green tea contains more antioxidant polyphenols than black tea.
Lower the risk of cancer, weight loss, improve brain function, skin, heart health are among some of the health benefit that often associated with green tea consumption.
Yellow tea is one of the rarest tea in the world. It mostly comes from China’s Zhejiang, Sichuan and Hunan provinces. Both the tea varieties and production is limited.
It has a smooth taste with delicate floral aroma. Yellow tea’s toastiness and unique scent set it apart from other tea.
White tea has delicate flavor and a floral fragrance. Farmers harvest young tea leaves and buds that are still covered by white fuzz. White tea comes through minimal processing which give it a high level of antioxidants and great health benefits.
Purple tea is a special tea variety with a sweet taste and wonderful health benefits. It started from the natural wild mutation of camellia sinensis plants, first found in China and India. However, the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya is behind the mass production of purple tea.
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Herbal Tea
Love teas but do not want the caffeine that it carries? Then herbal tea can be the answer. Unlike green tea or black tea that comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, herbal teas are made from different types of edible herbs, flowers, roots, fruits, barks and spices.
Some famous herbal teas are: Chamomile, Ginger, Peppermint, Osmanthus, Lemon Balm or Jasmine Tea.
Matcha is Japanese green tea powder, ground from tea leaves. Twenty to thirty days before harvest, the tea plants are covered to avoid direct sunlight. That gives its a dark green color and a boost in chlorophyll and amino acids.
Different match brands vary in color and bitterness. Apart from enjoying it as a tea drink, you can use matcha to make frappe, ice cream, cookies, cakes and so much more.
Tea by regions
China is the world’s largest tea producer, produces over 2 million tons of tea a year. Its history span thousands of years. Chinese tea are the oldest and among the most consumed tea in the world. Some popular Chinese tea include: black tea, green tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, Pu’er tea and other fermented tea.
Tea is an inseparable part of Japanese culture, from important ceremonies to everyday lives. Sencha is the most popular green tea, making up for 50% of all tea produced in Japan. Other popular type of tea in Japan are: Bancha, Gyokuro, Genmaicha, Hojicha, Matcha.
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Indian Tea
India is the second largest tea producer in the world, after China. It is best known for black teas, include Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri. Chai is a well-loved tea with its unique sweet and spicy flavor. Chai means “tea” in Hindi and is developed out of British colonization. Indians take the British’s black tea with sugar, milk and add spices like cinnamon, ginger and cloves to create chai.
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Sri Lanka Tea
Sri Lanka stands among the world’s leading countries in tea production, at fourth place. Tea has become a part of their heritage and culture.
In 1824, the first tea plant came to Sri Lanka from China. Sri Lanka’s central highlands have the perfect environment to grow high quality tea. Tea produced here are called Ceylon tea (mostly black teas but can also include other tea varieties).