Coffee Break

No one loves coffee as much as architects. The simple coffee bean has played an important role in cultures worldwide, influencing people’s lifestyles in different ways.

The first coffee house opened in Damascus in 1530 and shortly after this fledgling coffee culture spread to Europe and beyond. Some 500 years later, it has transformed the way in which people socialize, engage in conversation and tell stories. Whole rituals or events revolve around the preparation and enjoyment of coffee. This is a little insight to the diversity of coffee culture that exists outside the studio.

The coffee plant called coffee arabica originated in Ethiopia as early as the 10th century. The Ethiopian legend says that coffee was first discovered when a goat herder noticed his goats were particularly agitated, jumping around on their hind legs after eating ‘berries’ from a nearby bush. Curious, the shepherd bit into this mysterious berry and felt the energising effects and summoned a monk from a nearby monastery to share his discovery.

However the monk disapproved of the powerful berries and threw them into a fire. The fantastic smell of the roasting beans attracted the entire village to try them. The monks then found the uplifting effects from the coffee bean beneficial to keeping themselves awake during prayer and hence coffee became an important part of their spiritual ritual.

From Ethiopia coffee spread to Yemen where it was also used as a spiritual intoxication when chanting the name of God. From Yemen coffee spread to larger cities, such as Damascus, Mecca Cairo, Baghdad and eventually to Constantinople in 1554. Turkish coffee is the finest grind of coffee powder, it is prepared unfiltered which means it is drunk with the grounds. It is made by placing the powder with water and sugar in a copper saucepan (cezve) that traditionally is heated on a bed of hot sand and froths once heated.

Served

Espresso

An Italian take on coffee. It literally means ‘when something is forced out’ referring to how boiling water is forced through the pressed coffee.

As part of the tradition in Turkish culture, coffee plays a role in weddings. When a couple is bound to be married, it is tradition for the groom and his parents to visit the house of the bride to ask her parents for her hand in marriage. The bride then is meant to prepare the coffee for everyone, but makes the groom’s coffee with salt instead of sugar to gauge his character. If the groom drinks it without showing any sign of displeasure, the bride can assume he is good tempered and patient.

Greek Frappe

Invented by a Nescafe employee by accident in 1957 who couldn’t find any hot water to make his usual instant coffee so decided to shake the powder with ice and water - making a foamy ice cold drink.

Kaffest

A traditional coffee from Finland, usually enjoyed with cheese curds in the hot drink.

Cafe de Olla

Traditional Mexican coffee served with a cinnamon stick and in a clay mug which is believed to enhance the coffee’s flavours.

Another tradition that comes with Turkish coffee is fortune telling. Once drunk, the coffee cup is overturned and the residual coffee grounds create shapes and patterns on the inside of the cup. The rim of the cup is said to represent the upcoming six months, where the lighter the patterns represent how fortunate one is. Other fortune telling methods involve the coffee cup being over turned, leaving the residual coffee to create patterns around the inside of the cup.

An Irish coffee is enjoyed at the pub and is mixed with Irish whiskey, sugar and topped with whipped cream. The hot weather in Greece calls for a good ice coffee. It was invented by a Nescafe employee at a fair in Thessaloniki in 1957 where he couldn’t find any hot water to make his usual instant coffee so decided to shake the powder with ice and water - making a foamy ice cold drink.

And now my question goes to you dear reader, what coffee powers you through the long days and nights in studio? The days might blend into each other but your coffee could be the very source of diversity.

Cafe Bonbon

Originally from Valencia. It uses espresso and condensed milk at a 1:1 ratio. It is usually served in a glass to achieve the visual effect of separate bands of colour but it is stirred before consumption.