The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup!
Swedes are heavy coffee drinkers and our “FIKA” breaks are a well-known part of the day. In year1685 the coffee arrived to Sweden and the very first half kilo imported coffee arrived first to the West coast city Gothenburg. It was the Venetians who had a coffee exchange with the Orient and they were first to open coffee houses in Europe. The coffee originates from Ethiopia’s mountains. Once upon a time, there was a shepherd named Kaldi who herded his goats and he saw the goats behaving strange after having been eating some red berries. They became so lively. The shepherd got curious and decided to taste these red berries himself and then he suddenly became very alert.
In the beginning, the raw coffee beans were put in water and served as beverage or the beans were crushed and mixed with animal fat and the shepherds took it along on their long walks.
This news about the wonder berries was rapidly spreading and it didn’t take long until the Arabs started to cultivate them on the Arabic Peninsula and from there the coffee came to Turkey. The Turks were the first to roast the coffee beans. They found out how good the beans smelled when they were frown into fire. They started to crush the beans after they been roasted and boiled them with water. It was a relatively primitive version of the beverage we are used to and drink today.
Coffee is nowadays one of the most important trading products. In Sweden coffee was first sold in pharmacies. It says that mid-1800; coffee became a public popular folk beverage in Sweden. Drinking coffee became forbidden during several periods between 1756 and 1823, but the Swedes didn’t forget their love to this drink, they increased the coffee drinking after the ban. It was also said that the coffee saved many people from drinking alcohol.
One might think that countries like Italy and France are the biggest coffee drinking countries, but that is actually not so! In fact, it is Finland that tops the list with 12 kilos coffee annually per person, followed by Norway with 9,9 kilos, Denmark 8,7 kilos, the Netherlands 8,4 kilos and Sweden 8,2 kilos, quite surprisingly.
In the Scandinavian countries coffee parties are “THE THING”, comparably to the Brits “AFTERNOON TEA” or “HIGH TEA”. In Sweden you used to call these coffee parties “KAFFEREP” but today the word “FIKA” has become more common. In Iceland it’s a “KAFFIBOD” and in Norway and Denmark the word “KAFFESLABBERAS” is used to describe these events.
It’s known that in the Nordic countries religion has played a big role in the growth and popularity of coffee. Churches often provided coffee and cakes for their parishioners and it was/is called “KIRKEKAFFE” (Church coffee).
In and around Bangkok there are many unique coffee shops or cafes. Why not try out one of the following coffee places for a moment of relaxation in a special coffee atmosphere?
Let me tell you a little about some exciting cafes in Bangkok, all worth paying a visit to.
In the department house Central Embassy, on the 2nd floor you will find “STRETSIS PARLOUR”. This coffee shop says in its advertising that they serve “FANTASY ON A PLATE”. The atmosphere is romantic pure, it’s like entering into a fairytale world. On the wall, a white unicorn looks down on you and the wall papers make you feel being in a meadow full of flowers. The cakes are delicious and beautiful to look at. You feel a bit like in “Alice in Wonderland” while sitting there sipping on a coffee. It’s a quite expensive coffee house though. This is the ideal place for quality time with girlfriends or with a dear partner.
The “POOLTIME” cafe. This cafe is located in Ekkamai in Tai Ping Tower, Sukhumvit soi 63. The signature item is their “To-die-for cheeseburger with herb grilled beef, crispy bacon and onion rings. Believe it or not, but the buns are blue, but don’t contain food coloring. The recipe is a huge secret. In previous times you had a chance to play with a raccoon on the second floor but due to the Covid situation it might not be possible today. This place use to be open Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday between 12.00 noon to 20.00 hours. Fridays and Saturdays 12.00 noon until midnight, Mondays closed.
“NANA COFFEE ROASTER” is located on soi Nana Road near Hua Lamphong Railway Station. This coffee shop is located above a flower shop on the 2nd floor. The coffee shop is decorated with antiques and plenty of flowers. During weekends it’s not unusual that people line up on the street outside the cafe, waiting for a table. Famous is the “CARAMEL MUD CAKE”, a brownie like cake with cream cheese icing and topped with several berries.
“SMALL TALK CAFE & HANGOUT” is located at 7 Bagna, Bangkok. Here you can not only enjoy different coffees, but also eat a colorful salad or a pasta etc. They serve 10 different hot coffees and 8 cold coffees. The desserts are fantastic, many served with ice cream and berries. If you don’t want to go for coffee or tea, try their “SLUSHY” made of Strawberries, Apple Cantaloupe, Kiwi, Lychee, Mango, Blue Hawaii and Blueberries.
You can order by glass or a jug. You can choose between sitting inside or outside on the terrace. It’s not unusual that the customers spend up to 3 hours at this unique place.
Not too long ago “PARIS MIKKI” opened on Sukhumvit soi 19. This is a typical, French inspired coffee shop. It’s open from 9 am until 9 pm. Inside is only a small room with a wall covered with photos. They serve the most beautiful, small cakes, freshly croissants and much more. The cakes are like small art pieces. Enjoy a coffee or tea inside or outside overlooking the busy soi 19. You can also take away and get your favorites delivered.
There are so many coffee houses in and around Bangkok. If you get a chance, try them out, but check first if they are open today as the Covid situation has forced many to close temporarily.
ENJOY your FIKA!
