When ordering a Frappé, what you get really depends on where you are in the world. In Greece, you can expect a couple of tablespoons of instant coffee, sugar, water and milk (if you want them), which will then be put into a cocktail shaker and shaken to get the frothy layer on top. In Bulgaria, don’t be surprised if it’s served with soda instead of water. Denmark substitutes the water for milk and Serbia serves the frappé with milk or ice cream and freshly whipped cream on top. However, one of the really different frappé variations is in Boston, where it’s actually a milkshake made with ice-cream and is simply pronounced ‘frap’. So, if you’re a frappé lover, enjoy the experience of discovering every unique variation to be found!

The origins of the flat white coffee is a source of hot debate! Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the flat white in the 1980s. The answer is still unclear and it’s likely that the flat white evolved in both countries.

While a flat white coffee and a latte are both espresso-based drinks, they are in fact quite different. Most noticeable, is the size. The ideal serving size for a flat white is a 160-165ml tulip cup—much smaller than the glass size typically used for lattes and cappuccinos. This has an impact on the coffee to milk ratio, which naturally affects the taste. As the flat white is a more compact drink, the ratio of coffee to milk is much higher than in a latte. The espresso in a flat white coffee tastes stronger than in a latte, even though the same amount is used. Lattes simply dilute the espresso more.

When deciding between a flat white or latte, which do you prefer? If the latte has won your heart, try the NESCAFÉ^® GOLD Latte.

Just like a regular coffee, the iced version can include frothy or steamed milk, if that's how you'd like to make your version. But because of the ice you may find less milk is added to an iced coffee. If for some reason it’s too milky, another shot of espresso can be added.

Espresso has the reputation of having a high caffeine content. However, this depends on how much is drunk. Typically, espresso contains 29 to 100 milligrams of caffeine in a single shot. A double shot will contain between 58 to 185 mg of caffeine.

Espresso is the base of almost every type of coffee. Baristas making espresso use water under high amounts of pressure to force its way through compacted ground coffee, which makes a thick, syrupy liquid, with a gorgeous light brown foam layer on top, called the crema. That's the main difference - other coffee types rely on a slower filtering process, allowing hot water to slowly sift through coffee grounds. Espresso also relies on a much finer bean grind, while regular coffee works perfectly with medium ground beans. 

The americano originated during World War II. Interestingly, American soldiers stationed in Italy didn’t care for the very strong espresso that was favoured in the country, therefore they tried to recreate their beloved drip coffee from back home by adding water to the espresso shot. The result? The americano that we know and love today. Did you know that the americano also used to be iced? The process was the same, but cold water was used instead and ice cubes were added for good measure.

This debate has caused many arguments over the years, with some claiming that there’s absolutely no difference. However, the long black that’s widely appreciated in New Zealand and Australia possesses a much stronger flavour than the americano. When the espresso shot is added to the water it results in less dilution for the espresso, creating a strong coffee with a layer of crema on top.

A coffee term you should know! A barista is a person who artfully crafts your favourite coffee, usually at a coffee shop. It takes a lot of skill to be able to make great coffee and baristas have to master a host of beverage varieties from an espresso shot to the precise layers of the cappuccino.

Decaf coffee has had almost all of the caffeine content removed before the roasting process. Interestingly, it’s actually impossible to remove all of the caffeine from coffee beans!

The Flat White has been taking the coffee world by storm in recent years and has fast become one of the most popular coffees on the menu. However, there’s been much debate about where it originated from with some saying Australia, others New Zealand.

Refers to the process of growing coffee plants at high altitudes. This practice produces more rich and flavourful beans as the beans develop slower, resulting in a more complex and robust flavour profile.

You’ll likely be familiar with this coffee terminology as a slang word for ‘coffee’. But did you know that ‘Java’ was originally used to refer to coffee grown on the island of Java? When the coffee trade grew, the word was adopted by many all over the world and now it’s become a generalised word for ‘coffee’.

Could L be for anything else but latte? This coffee type is a super popular choice for many and consists of 1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk, with a layer of frothed milk on top. Café Latte’s often come with a variety of delicious flavour choices too, ranging from vanilla to hazelnut.

Noisette is a French coffee type which gets its name from the lovely hazelnut colour you get when mixing espresso and hot milk. It may sound similar to the macchiato, and it is because it just happens to be the French version!

Most valued by baristas, it’s perhaps the most essential item in their toolkit. It’s what’s responsible for holding the ground espresso beans in the coffee machine for the whole brewing process.

Roasting is what gives coffee beans that delicious smell and darkened colour, plus it also has a huge impact on the overall taste profile. Coffee can be roasted light, medium or dark and each roast type has a different level of acidity and unique flavouring.

Did you know that Turkey is one of the coffee hotspots of the world? They have a very unique way of making coffee which is said to be more akin to cooking than brewing and the result is a thick and frothy drink with a very strong aroma. 

A type of coffee that’s unlike any other, rich and flavourful with an added tang of sweetness thanks to the layer of condensed milk in the bottom of the glass. What’s more, you can also enjoy this beverage iced, so it’s perfect all year round!

To have X-factor a coffee today needs to be many things. It needs to come from the finest beans to ensure that it is great tasting. But more than this, it must also be produced in a sustainable manner and brought to you in the most efficicent way possible. This is why at NESCAFÉ^® we are focused on honouring our PLAN 2030 commitments to you and the coffee growing communities around the world. 

African coffee is thought to be some of the best in the world due to its wonderfully distinctive flavour. Traditionally, African coffee boasts the following characteristics:

• Syrupy
• Medium acidity
• Medium to dark roast

Asia is home to some of the most unique coffee blends with bold, unique flavourings unlike any other. Typically, you can expect Asian coffee to have the following characteristics:

• Earthy
• Gentle acidity
• And more often than not made into a dark roast

Not much is known about its origins, aside from the fact that it came from Spain’s Basque Country. It’s also popular in Portugal and Latin America, commonly enjoyed as an afternoon treat.

A cortado is not too dissimilar to a macchiato. Both contain the same amount of espresso, except the macchiato has a little less milk and is slightly smaller, which results in a slightly more bitter taste.

Essentially, 'mocha' means a type of coffee that is made from a specific coffee bean  originally only grown in Mocha, Yemen. It also means a mixture of coffee and chocolate, or a flavouring that tastes of this.

It is believed that the drink was originally named after the mocha bean, historically shipped from the port of Al Mokka in Yemen. Mocha beans were known for their naturally chocolatey flavour. These days, the name mocha doesn’t reference these coffee beans as such, but rather the presence of added chocolate flavourings in the coffee.

Good conversation is uplifting for the soul, but it’s something that many people skip in their morning routines. Why not ask your loved ones about what they’re looking forward to that day? Or about any dreams they had last night? If you live alone, you can still send a ‘Good Morning’ message to your loved ones to make their day!