Ordering Coffee
FROM THE HUMBLE GREEK COFFEE (AND OTHER HOT DRINKS)...
Where else to begin than with traditional Greek coffee, known as 'ellinikós kafés' and very similar in taste to instant coffee, only thicker in texture. It is actually a form of Turkish coffee, which was adopted by Greece during the period of Ottoman occupation. This strong black coffee is served with a slight foam on the top, having been prepared in a special pot called a 'briki'. Although it is usually served in a small cup, the coffee is supposed to be sipped slowly, perfectly in-line with Greek coffee culture. Coffee grounds set at the bottom of the cup, and there is a certain skill in knowing when to finish drinking - these grounds are not meant for consumption. When ordering Greek coffee, it is expected that you will state the level of sweetness you require. By not specifying this, the coffee will often be served to a moderate degree of sweetness, often preferred by some due to the bitterness of the coffee. However, if requiring more or less sugar than this, the following phrases should come in handy: 'sketos' (without sugar), 'metrios' (with around one teaspoon of sugar), 'glykos' (with two teaspoons of sugar), and finally 'variglykos' (meaning very sweet). It is worth noting that although Greek coffee is commonplace in many coffee shops around Mytilini, many of the older, more traditional cafes are most likely to use traditional methods; newer venues are opting for espresso machines, which will compromise on the quality.
Greek coffee has also recently been analysed for its health benefits. With only moderate caffeine content and high levels of polyphenols and antioxidants, Siasos et al. (2014) conclude in their study on the population of Ikaria that both cardiovascular health and the prospect of longevity are improved. The latter is a case in point; the population of the island of Ikaria has one of the highest levels life expectancy in the world. So you can bear this in mind when reaping the health benefits of the coffee tour of Mytilini!
According to Dritsa (2015) a number of customs relating to fortune telling surround Greek coffee. These range from interpretation of the coffee grounds left in the bottom of a cup, through to superstition regarding spilling a little bit of coffee from the cup to bring wealth and luck. For some light entertainment whilst in one of the various cafes on the coffee tour, you can also use the diagram below to help you predict the weather, one of the many other capabilities of a cup of Greek coffee, as reported by Muller (2013). Although there is a level of physics to support the movement of bubbles in a cup of coffee in relation to atmospheric pressure, some still believe that there is further meaning to the pattern of bubbles; bursting bubbles towards the outside of the cup can mean rain or snow (Dritsa, 2015). You can see how these predictions fare yourself!
Although it feels customary to sample at least one Greek coffee whilst on the tour in Lesvos, if strong dark coffee is 'not your cup of tea' so to speak, then do not fret. A range of internationally recognised types of coffee will be on the menu in almost any coffee house you visit in Greece. These include, but are not limited to cappuccino, espresso, and various different types of filter coffee, known as 'filtrou', or even a tea 'ena tsai'. There are often many different flavours of filter coffee, sometimes referred to as French coffee 'Gallikos' on the menu, so it will be worth checking to see which options cater to your desires.
A barometer, demonstrating the superstitious practice of using a cup of Greek coffee to predict the weather. Graphic courtesy of www.caffination.com
...THROUGH TO THE ICED FRAPPÉ, AND OTHER VARIATIONS
The frappé first took off in Greece throughout the 1960's and 70's, and still remains highly popular today, especially in summer months (although this beverage is enjoyed by many all year round). The invention of the frappé has been attributed to Dimitris Vakondios, who invented the drink by accident in 1957. Whilst acting as a representative of the Nestlé company at an International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki, Vakondios could not find any hot water with which to make a coffee for himself, instead improvising with cold water and ice in a shaker. Thus, the frappé was born (Tsolakidou, 2012). According to Dritsa (2015), the word frappé originates from the French word 'frapper', meaning 'to hit', however when ordering a drink in Greece, frappé nearly always refers to chilled coffee. Tsolakidou (2012) attributes the commercial launch of the Nescafé Frappé in 1979 to many peoples' perceptions of the Mediterranean lifestyle. The 'symbolic' and 'visual' representation of a relaxed and carefree summertime in Greece is in many ways iconic of the social representation it is attributed to. However it would appear that attitudes are changing. Research in recent years has shown that customers opt towards drinking a frappé for two major reasons; for stimulation, and when socialising. This is indicative of the changing cultures and attitudes outlined by Hatziprokopiou (2005) in a study into how immigrant integration and demographic change are shaping Greek society.
The frappé coffee is an iced coffee often made from spray-dried instant coffee, sugar, ice cubes and water, and remains the most popular cold coffee beverage amongst Greeks (Tsolakidou, 2012). The covering of foam is created when the coffee is shaken, before it is served in a tall glass. The uniqueness of spray-dried coffee sets the Greek frappé apart from its counterparts; the characteristic frothy layer on top of the coffee almost solidifies once served, as a result of the density of the bubbles created through this process. The same rules apply to the level of sweetness as with normal Greek coffee, so you can tailor your order to suit your desired tastes. Look out for any exciting variations on the traditional frappé coffee in any of the coffee houses you visit; these have been known to include the addition of chocolate milk or vanilla ice cream, or even different liquors if you are feeling the need for a particularly stimulating drink!
Due to the influence of international trends in the 1990's, cappuccino and espresso were increasingly consumed by Greeks. This lead to the creation of their iced counterparts: the freddo cappuccino, and the freddo espresso, which in much the same way as the frappé, are often enjoyed on warmer days by a generally younger demographic. The freddo cappuccino will be served in a tall glass with ice, often with a cocoa or cinnamon dusting. The cold version of an espresso will often be made with a double shot of coffee, and it is therefore perfectly acceptable to order milk on the side if you feel the coffee is too strong. If you are after more of a sweet beverage rather than a stimulant, you may enjoy the freddoccino which, although less common, is increasing in popularity and notority across Greece. As a blended mixture of coffee, milk and ice, the freddoccino resembles a coffee milkshake, and is often served with either a syrup or whipped cream. Dritsa (2015) attributes the invention to a Greek named Kostas Zobanakis, who created the drink in 2002 at a time when demand for iced coffee drinks was reaching a peak.
THE ESSENTIALS IN ORDERING COFFEE
Through a combination of the Greek translations for some of the most popular types of coffee outlined above, and the following ordering essentials as taken from the Yamas (2015) guide, it should be possible to order coffee at all of the cafes throughout the tour of Mytilini to your exact requirements.
In Greek, when ordering one coffee, this is signified by the use of the masculine ena or femanine mia before the word for coffee 'kafe'. As this is masculine, 'one coffee' is ordered by saying 'ena kafe'. And of course, to add a level of politeness to your order, add the word for thank you 'parakalo' to the end of any orders you give. To begin the order, you can add 'thelo', which means 'I want'. This will leave you with the phrase 'thelo ena kafe, parakalo', which can be used interchangeably to order any drink you want. Other essentials in a coffee shop may be 'efkaristo' (thank you), 'efkaristo poli' (many thanks), and finally 'to logariasmo, parakalo' (the bill, please) if necessary.
If you are in a group, you may need to adjust your order according to the number of drinks you require. In terms of basic numbers, the numbers one, three and four change according to the gender of the noun. There are three genders in Greek: masculine, feminine and neuter.
Dio - Two
Tris (masc, fem) or tria (neuter) – Three
Tesseris (masc, fem) or tessera (neuter) – Four
Pende – Five
When using these numbers, the plural form will need to be used - in this case, the plural of kafe is 'kafedes'', and as this is masculine, it goes with the masculine form of numbers. Therefore, the sentence 'thelo tris kafedes, parakalo', meaning 'I want three coffees please' can be used interchangeably to allow you to place your drink and even food orders whilst in Lesvos.
Photograph Acknowledgement:
Coffee beans & cup heading image: Courtesy of Wixpress Ltd.
Greek coffee banner image 1: https://www.flickr.com/photos/willbakker/5090673772/
Frappé banner image 2: https://www.flickr.com/photos/85668889@N08/9411060028/
Coffee counter banner image 3: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Stumptown_Coffee_Roasters_Downtown.jpg
References:
Dritsa, K. (2015). Revealing the secrets of coffee culture in Greece. [Online] Available at: http://www.fantasytravelofgreece.com/blog/revealing-secrets-coffee-culture-greece.html [Last Accessed: 26 April 2015]
Hatziprokopiou, P. (2005). Immigrants’ integration and social change: Greece as a multicultural society. In 2nd LSE Symposium on Modern Greece, Current Social Science Research in Greece, LSE, European Institute, Hellenic Observatory.
Muller, P. (2014). The caffination coffee barometer. [Online] Available at: http://www.caffination.com/food-n-coffee/coffee-weather-9065/ [Last Accessed: 27 April 2015]
Siasos, G., Oikonomou, E., Chrysohoou, C., Tousoulis, D., Panagiotakos, D., Zaromitidou, M., & Stefanadis, C. (2013). Consumption of a boiled Greek type of coffee is associated with improved endothelial function: The Ikaria Study. Vascular Medicine, 1358863X13480258.
Tsolakidou, S. (2012). Frappé: The history of coffee that Greeks are obsessed with. [Online] Available at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2012/05/19/frappe-the-history-of-coffee-that-greeks-are-obsessed-with/ [Last Accessed: 27 April 2015]
Yamas (2015). learn Greek through food – part 3 – ordering a coffee in Greek. [Online] Available at: http://www.yamasdairy.com/blog/134-learn-greek-through-food-part-3-ordering-a-coffee-in-greek [Last Accessed: 25 April 2015]