Every country has a gastronomic tradition that includes particular combinations of ingredients and flavors, as we have seen with various coffees around the world. Germany, a land where different preparations of the drink we love so much are no exception: drinking German-style coffee is an experience that allows us to explore one of the Teutonic nation's most beloved customs.

As confirmed by various research, it's not just rivers of beer that flow: with an average of 5 cups per day per capita, Germans are the largest consumers of coffee. They are followed by the United States with an average of 3.2 cups per person per day and, at the lowest point of the podium, Italy with 3 cups. Not only that, Germany is also the second largest importer in the world after the United States.

In short, the black drink is highly valued. So much so, in fact, that there is not just one German-style coffee but three traditional specialties spread and appreciated throughout the country: Pharisäer Kaffee, Café Crème, and Eiskaffee.

Pharisäer Kaffee, German coffee from legend

We begin our journey into typical German preparations with Pharisäer Kaffee, a long coffee laced with rum, enhanced by cocoa notes, and made even sweeter by whipped cream.

Its origins are lost in legend. The name Pharisäer means "Pharisee," and it seems to have come from the story of Gustav Beyer, a very strict Protestant preacher who lived in the North Frisian region.

The pastor rebuked the faithful for excessive alcohol consumption. At a village party, the preacher was served ordinary coffee with whipped cream, while rum was also added to the glasses of the other villagers. Realizing the deception, the pastor exclaimed, "Ihr Pharisäer!" i.e., "Pharisees!" referring to the accusations of hypocrisy made by Jesus against the Pharisees in the Bible.

Pharisäer Kaffee: ingredients and preparation

To prepare this special German-style coffee, you will need the following ingredients:

• 80 ml ground coffee;
• 2 cubes of sugar;
• 40 ml of Jamaican rum;
• 2 tablespoons of whipped cream;
• half a teaspoon of bitter cocoa powder.

How to prepare Pharisäer Kaffee? By following these steps:

1. First, pour the coffee into a large cup and add the sugar.
2. Then you pour in the rum.
3. Finally, whipped cream and cocoa are added.
4. Now you can enjoy Pharisäer Kaffee, but, according to tradition, without stirring!

Café Crème, the classic German-style coffee

If you walk into a German coffee shop and order "ein kaffee" without specifying anything else, you are likely to be served a Café Crème. This is a long coffee made with a special espresso machine with a double portafilter.

For a workmanlike Café Crème, you use:

• A cappuccino cup, filled almost completely.
• Bar blends of coffee beans.
• A coffee grinder specially set to extract about 15 grams of the black beverage.
• The result is similar in both taste and appearance to the American.
• Eiskaffee, the most mouthwatering specialty.

For those who are under the spell of sweet and mouth-watering recipes, Eiskaffee is the ideal German-style coffee, perhaps to be enjoyed on a hot summer day. It is a coffee affogato, enhanced by vanilla ice cream and lots of whipped cream.

Eiskaffee: ingredients and preparation

Here are the ingredients you need:

• cold brewed long coffee, preferably from a blend with a rich, bold flavor such as Aiello Coffee Super Blend;
• two scoops of vanilla ice cream;
• whipped cream;
• bitter cocoa powder.

How do you make a cup of Eiskaffee? Easy as pie:

1. you start by preparing the coffee, taking care to let it cool;
2. then you pour the contents of the mocha into a tall glass containing the vanilla ice cream;
3. the last touch: whipped cream and dusted with bitter cocoa.