Coffee is an invigorating drink with which most people start their day. Some are content with the instant option, while others choose natural ground coffee with a rich taste and aroma.
Often, when ordering in a restaurant or coffee shop, visitors are faced with the fact that a glass of cold water is served along with it. For those who are not familiar with this tradition, this looks strange. People are starting to look for answers to the questions: “Why is water served with coffee?”, “How to drink coffee with water correctly?”, then aspects of this tradition in different countries are considered.
Why is coffee served with water?
To understand why cold water is served with coffee, you first need to know how this tradition appeared. There is an assumption that this custom originated in Ancient Greece. According to historians, this is where a glass of cool liquid was first served with a hot drink. The goal that was pursued then was the opportunity to get a charge of vivacity, freshness and cool down a little. This is due to the fact that coffee beans have a tonic effect, and Greece is characterized by fairly hot climatic conditions.
There is also a version that water is served along with coffee for a completely different reason. This tradition originated in Turkey. Here, the use of liquid was due to the fact that the invigorating drink was prepared on the sand using a cezve, and it was drunk separately from food. Before enjoying the contents of the small cup, it was necessary to neutralize the taste of previously eaten foods. Therefore, first we drank water and only after that coffee.
The tradition of such an unusual serving, which came from the East, is also due to the need to avoid dehydration. It is known that coffee drink has a diuretic effect, and in hot climates, fluid loss increases even more. Therefore, local residents began to resort to this combination in order to maintain water balance.
COLD COFFEE – RECIPES
Cold coffee with yolk
Perhaps the most amazing one. Otherwise it is also called “Zhannette”. This type of vigor drink is famous for its excellent strength - because, in addition to the usual ingredients, it contains alcohol. Let's try cooking.
- Coffee Bongiorno Limo
- Eggs (yolk)
- Condensed milk
- Sugar
- Cognac
- Cream
- Milk
We brew espresso. Then add a cup of hot milk to it, keep it on low heat, covered with a lid, for about 5 minutes. After the coffee has cooled, it must be strained. Next, beat the egg yolk, cream, condensed milk, and sugar. The coffee is almost ready, all we have to do is put it in the refrigerator. When cool enough, add cognac to the drink and serve in glass glasses.
Next, we invite you to go to Vienna and try the drink of this wonderful country. It is distinguished by the combination of cocktail ingredients with dessert.
Iced Viennese coffee
- Strong espresso
- Cream
- Sugar
- Waffles
The brewed coffee drink must be mixed with half the cream. Keep in mind that half will vary depending on the number of coffees. Then we freeze the resulting mixture in the refrigerator, then pour it into glasses. Whip the remaining half of the cream. Then we decorate the drink with whipped cream and serve with delicious Viennese waffles.
Thai iced coffee
Our next stop will be in hot Thailand.
The country of white sands and incredibly polite people treats its guests to an unusual “Olyeng”.
- brewed strong espresso
- cream
- finely ground almonds
- sugar
- cardamom (do not get carried away so as not to overdo it with this spice)
- ice
The cooking process is not that complicated. Place a saucepan over medium heat, pour in the cream, cardamom and sugar. Wait until the cream begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture sit under the lid for 15 minutes, then add the grated almonds. We put ice in large glasses, depending on who likes it. And we pour the drink and drink from a straw.
Cold mint coffee
The universal “Olyeng” is good because you can add syrup to it and then its taste will be even more interesting. Try mint syrup, you will get a real Thai iced mint coffee. You will definitely like it.
Vietnamese ice coffee
Now we will get acquainted with the mysterious Vietnam and the recipe for its cold drink.
Considering that in Vietnam people spend many hours on the street, trading and sometimes literally living on busy streets, they came up with a very simple cool cocktail. Its name sounds very melodic - cà phê sua đá, which literally means iced coffee with ice.
Back in the old days, when it was difficult to find dairy products in Vietnam, people began to replace them with condensed milk, which was easier to get. This drink is famous for its strength and sweet vivacity. In short, coffee perfection in a short time and a taste that you will remember for a long time.
- Ground coffee Bongiorno Sirocco
- Condensed milk
- Ice
How to cook:
Pour condensed milk into the bottom of the cup, then carefully pour in the brewed coffee through a sieve. We supplement all this with a fair handful of crushed ice and drink to the sounds of scooters on Vietnamese roads and the songs of the cheerful inhabitants of this sunny country.
If you want to dilute your drink a little, you can try another method of preparing Vietnamese frappe. Add syrups or spices, and decorate the coffee with cream in the glass. By the way, a glass for “Olieng” is perfect for you; it will hold all the ingredients and you will be able to conveniently enjoy the taste by sipping it through a straw.
Four reasons why you should drink coffee with water
- Espresso, brewed according to all the rules, is a rich, aromatic drink. In this case, taste buds quickly stop responding properly to stimuli. Accordingly, the taste of coffee is not felt properly after just a few sips. Therefore, it must be washed down. Just one sip of the tasteless liquid helps cleanse the receptors. You can feel the bouquet of rich espresso shades again. As a rule, this is how they drink high-quality drinks prepared in compliance with all the technical features.
- Another reason to drink water after coffee is that cool liquid reduces the effects of caffeine. The concentration of the alkaloid decreases, and due to this it is possible to avoid sudden changes in blood pressure and normalize the heart rhythm.
- This combination of drinks, which are drunk alternately, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the teeth. Coffee is known to change the shade of tooth enamel - a brown coating appears on it. Thanks to water, the coloring pigment is not absorbed and is easily washed off.
- In addition, in hot weather, this way you can not only get a boost of energy, but also refresh yourself . Espresso helps to tone up, and cool water cools down. To achieve the most vibrant refreshing effect, it is recommended to drink it at the end of your coffee meal. This is exactly what was practiced in Greece.
What kind of water is served with coffee?
Espresso is usually served with boiled or purified bottled water. It is extremely important that it does not contain chlorine. The liquid is cold, but not icy, and has a neutral, mild taste. Cold water, and even more so with ice, will drown out the receptors and create a sharp change in temperature conditions. The best option is about ten degrees. A cooler one will harm tooth enamel, which is sensitive to sudden changes in heat and cold. The glass is only half filled.
Many people prefer to drink coffee not with regular water, but with mineral water. It has a special taste that influences the perception of the coffee drink. The contrast is maintained, and the presence of caffeine becomes more pronounced.
It is allowed to add products to the mineral water that impart a special aroma. This could be orange zest, a slice of lemon or mint leaves. It is extremely important to adhere to certain dosages; an overly rich taste will overwhelm the smell. Be sure to infuse this mixture before use. But adding sweeteners is unacceptable.
Certain coffee shops serve a glass of hot water with your espresso. This is due to the fact that the coffee drink is very rich and concentrated. A person has the opportunity to dilute it to his own taste. Due to this, the product will not spoil, and its use will be much more pleasant.
The difference between cold and hot brewed drinks
It would seem that the ingredients are the same (ground coffee and water), however, the result is different. The temperature of the water completely changes the chemical picture of what happens during “brewing.” What is the difference between a traditional drink and cold brew coffee?
- Iced coffee contains more caffeine. American scientists came to this conclusion after conducting an experiment on preparing the drink in different ways. However, cold coffee concentrate can always be diluted with water.
- The “cold” version contains more chlorogenic acid, which affects the beneficial properties and taste of the drink.
- The taste of coffee made from the same beans in different ways varies. The cold infusion is devoid of viscosity and astringency; fruit and berry notes and shades of caramel are clearly audible in it. Sometimes the taste of cold brew is even compared to compote, it is so bright and “juicy”. Therefore, some connoisseurs believe that the cold brewing method is the best.
ADVICE! The drink obtained using the “cold method” is very concentrated. It must be diluted before use to avoid harm to health. It makes sense to limit yourself to 1-2 servings per day.
The cold method of brewing coffee is a relatively new “trendy”, and its popularity is steadily growing. This gave impetus to the development of original production: new effective devices for preparing such a drink appear on the market. The most famous manufacturers are Cold Bruer, Hario and Coffeega.
Based on the finished coffee concentrate, you can prepare various cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) or simply drink it with ice, milk, cream or sugar. This drink has all the properties of regular coffee: it tones, lifts your mood and helps you concentrate. A pleasant bonus is the prevention of a number of dangerous diseases (diabetes mellitus, senile dementia and cancer pathologies).
How to drink correctly
Coffee with water is not always served. For example, there is no need to drink cappuccino. Speaking about how to drink espresso and Americano correctly, there are a number of simple recommendations. By following these tips, you will be able to get the most out of your coffee drink. Among them are the following:
- There's no need to rush. Before you start drinking an Americano, you should first take a few sips of water. In this way, it will be possible to cleanse the receptors and prepare for the perception of taste and aroma;
- When alternating drinks, take small sips. The liquid lingers in the mouth for a short time;
- It is extremely important to maintain small intervals. This is due to the fact that alternation at an accelerated pace will lead to dulling of sensitivity. The taste will be muted. In addition, there will be a negative effect on tooth enamel;
- water eliminates the coffee aftertaste . Therefore, everyone has the right to make their own decision about whether to drink it at the end of the procedure or not.
There are many reasons why they started serving cool water with coffee. This tradition has taken root in many countries. Nevertheless, everyone has the right to decide for themselves how to drink their favorite invigorating drink. No one obliges you to periodically take sips from the glass next to the espresso.
May Help You Live Longer
Drinking iced coffee may reduce your overall risk of death, as well as death from diseases caused by specific diseases (, ,).
A long-term study of 229,119 men and 173,141 women aged 50–71 found that the more coffee people drank, the lower their risk of death from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injury, accidents, diabetes and infections ( ).
One reason for this association may be that coffee is high in antioxidants.
Antioxidants are compounds that help prevent cell damage that can lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. These diseases can significantly shorten your life expectancy.
Coffee contains powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols, hydroxycinnamates and chlorogenic acid (, ,).
Although research shows that hot coffee contains more antioxidants than cold coffee, the latter contains some very strong antioxidants such as caffeoylquinic acid (CCA) (,).
Summary:
Although cold coffee contains fewer antioxidants than hot coffee, it is full of compounds that have high antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help prevent diseases that can shorten your life expectancy.
