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Before there are Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaves, most people in the region of Singapore and Malaysia know only kopi, a Baba Malay language for coffee.  Kopi is basically robusta coffee.  Espresso and cappuccino are extravagant coffee in the early days, meant for the rich, and only available in hotels.

Today, a cup of espresso coffee or any other gourmet coffee still costs a few dollars, and a cup of kopi is only between 70 and 90 Singapore cents.

Latte or long black is unknown in local coffee stalls and kopi tiam.  Tiam means shop in Hokkien, a Chinese dialect.  Instead it is commonly called kopi, kopi-o, and kopi-c.

Kopi is not brewed in coffee maker, but steep in a tall metal pot with a long spout with a cotton coffee filter, a long cone bag, within.  Milk and sugar are not served separately on the table.  When you order your kopi, you have coffee with condensed milk, a sweetener, and sugar, already added.

Kopi-o is black coffee, with sugar added.  O sounds like black in Hokkien.

Instead of condensed milk, Carnation evaporated milk is added to kopi-c, with sugar.  The c stands for Carnation, a brand, even though some have replaced it with other brands.

Most of the early kopi tiam are started by Chinese who are Hainanese.  Today their lingo still stays.  Ask for kopi-c siu tai, it is coffee with evaporated milk and less sugar in the cup.  More sugar, ka tai.  But for no sugar, it is kosong, a Malay word which means nothing.

Sarabat stalls are coffee stalls run by Indians and Malays.  They are famous for their teh tarik.  Teh means tea, and tarik means pull back.  A cup of tea with milk and sugar added is then juggled between two cups at an altitude.  The original purpose is to lower the temperature of very hot tea for easy drinking on a hot day, for the climate in Singapore and Malaysia most of the year is of summer.  However, the action has also produced a foamy top for the tea, much like cappuccino.  This spurs the creation of kopiccino, using the same method but instead of tea, it is coffee.

Many migrants came from China in the old days.  Chinese meal will always have a cup of Chinese tea besides their food.  It is not surprising to find in the local coffee shop and food court, too, that coffee and tea are usually ordered together with meals, much like having a cup of Chinese tea, or ice water in western meal.  But for some, hot kopi is still best reserved after a meal.

Nevertheless, for those who still crave for a piece of cheese cake with gourmet coffee, it is still Starbucks, hotels, or café.  For others with a budget, Ikea offers value for money for a cup of brewed coffee with cheese cake.

Any opportunities to travel to Singapore and Malaysia, kopi with roti kaya is a must.  Roti is bread in Malay, and kaya is a coconut egg jam.

The Basic Cappuccino

The basic cappuccino is a 6-8 ounce beverage. It is composed of about 2-3 ounces of espresso coffee, 2-3 ounces of steamed milk and 2-3 ounces of frothed milk. Powdered cocoa or cinnamon is usually sprinkled on the top to give it that little special touch.Here are some tips and tricks to take your cappuccino to the next level of deliciousness. * In order to properly layer the cappuccino, you should let the milk rest a moment so the foam and milk can separate. * Pour the brewed espresso into a stainless steel pitcher as ceramic or glass cups absorb too much of the heat. The temperature of the espresso actually makes a big difference in taste and the best machines even allow you to regulate the temperature of the coffee as it’s brewing. * To prepare your beverage, use a demitasse cup so you can keep the proportions correct. First pour the steamed milk into the cup until it fills about one third (2-3 ounces of milk). Then slowly pour the espresso into the steamed milk. Finally, spoon the froth in to fill the last few ounces of space. When this is done correctly, the espresso should settle between the milk and the foam. * Generally speaking, the frothed milk should be between about 150 and 170 degree Fahrenheit. To make the frothing easier, you should buy an espresso maker that has a frothing adaptor rather than a wand.Different Types of CappuccinoThe Classic CappuccinoThis type of cappuccino is pretty common in Italy and North America and it’s simply a cappuccino that is only topped with frothed milk (no steamed milk poured into the espresso). You simply top your 1-2 ounces of espresso with 1-2 ounces of foam. Delicious!The Iced CappuccinoThough the iced cappuccino doesn’t differ in ingredients from the basic cappuccino, it is prepared differently. First, you brew your espresso (a single or double shot). Then you put about 5-6 ice cubes into a glass and pour the espresso over them. Stir it up to bring the temperature down. Then pour the cooled espresso into a serving cup and add 2-3 ounces of cold milk. Finally, froth up 2-3 ounces of milk and spoon only the warm froth onto the top.The Milky Way CappuccinoNow we’re getting into the real yummy stuff. If you like chocolate and caramel (and who doesn’t?), you’ll love this one. In order to make a Milky Way Cappuccino, you simply create a basic (or classic) cappuccino and add one ounce of chocolate and one ounce of caramel before adding the milk (you pour the chocolate and caramel into the espresso and then pour the milk).Simple but great!The Almond CappuccinoIf you like almonds, you’ll love this recipe. Once again it’s very simple. Before mixing the steamed milk with the espresso, pour one ounce of vanilla extract and one ounce of almond extract into the espresso. Then simply finish off the Basic Cappuccino and enjoy!The Homemade Frappe CappuccinoA frappe cappuccino is simply a blended (frappe) cappuccino. To make one, you first brew one large shot of espresso and then let it cool. You can put it in the fridge so it cools quicker. Once it is cool, it’s time to get out your blender and pour in the coffee, about 4-5 ounces of milk, 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and about one cup of ice. Blend it up until the ice is crushed and the drink is smooth.Well, I hope that gets you started with making great espresso. However, to make outstanding espresso, you should visit Arniescafe for tasting a wonderful Cappucino.