While tea may once have been the most popular drink in America (until the tea tax of 1767, that is), people have been drinking coffee for nearly a millennium and it is now one of the most popular beverages in the United States with more than 100 million adult Americans drinking coffee daily. You can hardly go down a major street in the US without encountering at least one coffee shop, whether it’s a large chain like Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, or your local hipster shop.
Coffee isn’t just popular in the US — it’s one of the most-consumed beverages in the world with more than 450 billion cups being consumed worldwide each year. With its distinct aroma and lovely taste, it’s no wonder that this miracle drink for the tired continues to gain in popularity. And with hundreds of kinds of coffee recipes from around the world that you can make yourself (if you have the right ingredients and equipment), drinking coffee never gets boring. Or, if you are lucky enough to have the time and money for traveling, you can visit these countries and order one of their traditional coffees from a local café.
But did you know that we have goats to thank for this nectar of the gods? Legend has it that coffee was discovered in present day Ethiopia by the goat herder Kaldi after noticing that his goats became quite lively and did not want to sleep at night upon eating berries from a certain tree. After Kaldi made an abbot from the local monastery aware of his discovery, the abbot made a drink with the berries and was surprised to find that it kept him alert for the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot went on to share his discovery with other monks and soon after word spread throughout the globe.
Countries around the world get very creative with their coffee, crafting beverages using varying foam methods, combining coffee and different kinds of milk in unique ways, adding whipped cream, cocoa powder or cinnamon, and even including creative ingredients like black tea, lemon juice, brown sugar, Irish whiskey, or honey. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to how to make a cup of coffee you will love.
There’s nothing like a perfectly prepared cup of coffee, whether it’s a drink you enjoy first thing in the morning, at work during your coffee break, or when you get home to relax. You will be amazed at how many ways coffee can be prepared.
Check out the infographic below from Cheap Flights to learn some of the routines people have when drinking coffee, as well as to see the delicious ways coffee is prepared in the US, Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Columbia, Germany, Austria, Vietnam, Greece, Hong Kong, Cuba, Mexico, Senegal, France, India, Turkey, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and Ireland.
Clearly, coffee is more than just a drink. It’s meant to be an experience that permeates every aspect of life, from binding people together as they socialize, to boosting productivity, to its multiple health benefits.
So make sure to grab a cup and leave a comment below letting us know your favorite way to prepare coffee.
Featured photo credit: Raisa Kanareva via shutterstock.com
