May is upon us. That means the Amsterdam Coffee Festival is fast-approaching. I can’t describe how excited I am!

As the Netherlands saw its first rays of promising sun in April, I’ve already spotted shorts, flip flops and ice creams in the street. I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with the standard iced lattes and coffees, but for those of you who aren’t, I have a few suggestions if you need to cool down this summer.

Cold brew coffee by Mike Cooper (Jamie Oliver’s Drinks Tube)

One of the UK’s most popular chefs Jamie Oliver took to YouTube a couple of years ago and set up Drinks Tube. In this video, resident barista Mike Cooper explains what cold brew coffee is and how you can make it yourself. Do try this at home, I’d say!

Espresso Affogato (by Noom Sarawuth)
 
More dessert than drink, an affogato is sure to cool you down - especially when you have a sweet tooth. It’s as simple as pouring a shot of espresso over good quality vanilla ice cream, but look at that oozing goodness in a glass!

Espresso tonic (by For Better Coffee)

For the adventurous spirits among us, there is the espresso tonic. It’s basically what it says on the tin: an espresso topped off with tonic water. I tried this in Amsterdam for the first time and what a revelation it was! The typical bitterness of the tonic is somewhat softened and complimented by the coffee. As a result, you end up with an oddly refreshing beverage for those sweltering days.

That’s all from me, blogging for the ACF. Hopefully I’ll see you in Amsterdam.

Have a great festival everybody!

Much love,

Tahn