SIX CENTURIES AND STILL BREWING …

While classics such as espresso, Arabic, or 'kahweh', and Turkish coffee remain deeply entrenched in the regional café culture, there are always new takes and twists on our favorite beverage, reflecting changing times, tastes and attitudes. Maya Bekhazi Noun, founder and managing director of The Food Studio, highlights this year’s most significant trends making waves across the wonderful world of coffee Butter coffee

In this interpretation, a knob of butter is melted into the cup of coffee, which helps to provide an energy boost without the caffeine crash, mental alertness that lasts for hours, and appetite suppression.

Cold brew

Still trending from last year, this favorite has now expanded to include a sparkling coffee variety, in line with the broader fashion for sparkling water and cold-brew tonic. The result is a pleasing concoction of cold brew, tonic water and ice, which is also serving as a base for new cocktail drink ideas. The cold-brew approach also lends itself to the inclusion of additional ingredients. My advice is to look out for coffee lemonade in 2019.

Cascara

This is the remaining part of the coffee fruit, which supposedly contains more iron, fiber, antioxidants and protein than many super foods, but is usually thrown away. Unsurprisingly, with super-dense nutrients currently highly sought after, cascara is fast gaining popularity.

Nitro coffee

Nitro coffee is simply a cold-brewed coffee which is infused with nitrogen gas, with the aim of enriching the smooth, foamy texture. The process also renders the coffee slightly sweeter.

Mushroom coffee

The earthy and smooth taste of the mushrooms adds to the coffee’s appeal, while providing valuable health benefits, since this popular ingredient is believed to combat bacteria and viruses. Regarded by many as a super food in its own right, the mushroom is also thought to help digestion, boost brainpower and increase energy levels. In addition to promoting overall wellbeing, mushrooms add to the flavor profile of the beverage and also help to reduce the jitters that traditional coffee can produce.

Flat white

A perfectly creamy and generously caffeinated coffee that’s similar to a latte, this favorite is still trending. The flat white is made with a double ristretto shot of espresso, mixed with micro-foamed milk that has been consistently heated to avoid separation, resulting in a rich espresso with a delightfully velvety texture.

Draft latte

Draft lattes are creamy, cold, frothy drinks, topped with a micro foam and given a hint of sweetness, usually mixed with cold-brewed iced coffee.

Dirty chai

Thanks to my many trips to Eastern and South-eastern Asia, I have become addicted to this mix of Chai Latte and coffee. Also known as Yuenyeung in Malaysia or Hong Kong-style milk tea, Dirty Chai is definitely my favorite coffee drink of the moment.

Chemex

A stylish and enjoyable way to enjoy our favorite drink, this high-end form of filtered brewing coffee remains on trend.

Know your H2O

Did you know that water accounts for about 98 percent of a cup of coffee? With that in mind, if you’re passionate about coffee, it’s worth giving the water that’s used for brewing the attention it deserves. Better quality water enhances

Those of you who think coffee can only be paired with sweets and breads need to be ready to think again in 2019 and 2020! Be prepared for pairing trends that include savories and delicacies the nuances of the coffee, while also providing more of the health benefits that purified water offers and generally elevating the coffee-drinking experience.

Coffee pairing

Those of you who think coffee can only be paired with sweets and breads need to be ready to think again in 2019 and 2020! Be prepared for pairing trends that include savories and delicacies, such as shellfish and raw meats. Let the imagination loose!

Coffee’s health factors

Coffee has been increasingly gaining in popularity due to the raft of studies undertaken that have suggested consumption could significantly improve a person’s life expectancy. Additional reports have concluded that coffee beans can assist with weight loss management and aid concentration.