25 Unique Coffee Experiences From Around the World - Israel

Various coffee experiences of different authors around the world

 

25. Coffee from Israel.

 

I am writing these lines on my laptop as I sip my morning cappuccino. Like many who work in Israeli offices, my day begins with a cup of steaming hot coffee professionally prepared; there are many coffee shops and cafes in the neighborhood. Some people linger over their coffee, catching up on iPhone messages and answering emails; while others, like me, pull out their laptops and type away, undisturbed by the grinding of coffee beans; the hiss of steam escaping as milk is heated; and the swish of credit cards as orders are recorded. Israel’s coffeehouse tradition is well entrenched, with the Aroma, ArCaffe,

25 Unique Coffee Experiences From Around the World, Part 1 - eTramping.com

Cup O’Joe, and Café Café local chains competing with the myriad independent shops that dot the streets. The coffee of choice is the ubiquitous café hafuch, which is a creamy ‘upside down’ mix of espresso and steamed milk. You can get basically the same type of coffee if you order a latte or the cappuccino I favor.

 

Many Israelis prefer a very strong Turkish coffee nicknamed botz (literally – mud), which is served in small cups and brings back memories of coffee twice boiled over a long ago campfire. Others will insist on drinking simple nescafe (literally – miracle coffee), which is instant coffee served with milk and sugar and is a staple of home kitchens and workplaces. The coffee shops are busy throughout the day, serving sandwiches, pastas and cakes in addition to their gourmet coffee drinks. In the summer months, ice coffee is quite popular in Israel, with both slushy frappuccino-like concoctions served like milkshakes and the less sweet café kar (literally – cold coffee) served over ice. Cold coffee is great, but I’ll stick to my daily cappuccino.

 

Ellis Shuman and his wife, Jodie, lived in Sofia for two years 2009-2010. During that time they maintained a very active blog, Ellis and Jodie’s Bulgarian Adventures, detailing their travels. Ellis is the author of Valley of Thracians, a suspense novel set in Bulgaria. The book is available at Amazon in Kindle and paperback editions. Ellis writes frequently about Bulgaria, Israel, and other interesting things at his blog./etramping.com