A look into Coffee Culture and how it varies throughout the world by looking at it through American, Greek and Honduran
It’s no secret that coffee is loved by many people in many different places. Coffee is something that is different depending on the culture. America it is a fast paced affair, whereas in other countries people sit and take time to enjoy it. People drink coffee at home, at coffee shops, in others homes, the possibilities are endless. Coffee is a unifier and a daily staple in many people’s lives, no matter the country.
American Coffee Culture
For the average American, coffee is a staple to help them get through the day, and I’m talking from experience! The amount of people flooding a Dunkin’, Starbucks, a local coffee shop, or even a Wawa everyday to get coffee is very common occurrence, no matter the time of day. As with a lot of things in America, the act of a “Coffee Run” is about speed, efficiency, and of course grab and go. Many people quickly putting in a mobile order and picking it up is a simple three minute process. Unlike other countries sitting down and slowly drinking a coffee is sparse. On the contrary Americans do often like to sit and do work or catch up with friends in a coffee shop, but the fast pace of coffee is more common.
Many Americans brew their coffee at home. The way that coffee is brewed here is typically via the drip method, or through a single serve machine such as a Keurig picked up from a local grocery store. People buy prepackaged ground coffee and set it up to brew while they are getting ready in the morning, again focusing on speed and efficiency.
Lots of people are basic with the way they drink their coffee just by adding simple cream and sugar. Some also like to make lattes, or iced coffees adapted from other countries. American coffee is also known for having a watered down taste. To make coffee more tasty some like to add flavoring such as caramel, mocha, pumpkin spice and peppermint. Another phenomenon in America is adding oat or almond milk to homemade and store bought coffees.
Although U.S. coffee may not be as fancy as some other countries, it is a key part of an American’s day and many are experimenting with fancier and more complex coffee orders.
Greek Coffee Culture
My grandparents spend their summers in Greece and I was able to have a conversation with them about what the Coffee Culture is like there. There are two custom times during the day when they drink coffee. After they wake up in the morning many drink a cup of coffee and then once more after their afternoon siesta, around 5:00pm. A cultural norm pertaining to coffee in Greece is that anytime someone is visiting the home, the host will offer coffee, which is always served with a glass of ice water to help combat the bitter taste that coffee can have. The hot coffee that Greeks drink it is strong espresso, normally served black but sometimes with a small splash of milk. A Frappe is another coffee drink in Greece, which is a instant iced coffee that is common.
There are three levels of sweetness of Greek Coffee:
- Sketo– which is a plain coffee
- Metreo– which is a medium flavor
- Zaccari-which is the sweetest version
In Greece coffee is often served with a cookie of sorts. The one pictured is called Koulourakia.
Honduran Coffee Culture
This summer I visited Honduras and I got to experience Honduran coffee firsthand. I was in a village as well as an island in Honduras. Even Coffee Culture can vary depending the area someone is in the country.
In the small village I visited in Honduras many families produce their own coffee although some families invest more into it as a business. The coffee starts off as coffee beans harvested from trees on their property. On the premise they roast, grind and package the ground coffee and then sell it. Since it is locally homegrown in a small village the coffee is organic. My family brought back 20 bags of coffee for only $4 a bag, which shows the cost difference of coffee in Honduras compared to the U.S. Culturally, in this village when someone visits a persons house they will always offer soda or coffee. The polite thing to do would be to accept the drink, therefore everyone normally has coffee on hand. Growing and harvesting coffee beans in Honduras is a way that they are able to collect income.
On the contrary, the island of Roatán is more of a tourist area, therefore the coffee there is more Americanized and geared towards the tourists who are visiting. The coffee I ordered was just like something I would order here. Although it lacked flavoring it was more bitter, it was a very familiar taste.