Making the Switch from milk to black coffee // part 1 Transitioning from Milk to Black Coffee A great café experience begins the moment you set foot within its premises. With the aromatic scent of the freshly pulled shot in the air, many wonder why the espresso in its stark nakedness doesn’t seem to taste as good as it smells. But no, the espresso actually tastes better than it smells. We can never stress this enough. A perfectly pulled espresso shot crowned with a thick layer of crema is incredibly beautiful. It delivers an entirely different coffee experience from the milk-laden lattes and the other white coffees. Don’t get us wrong, though. We aren’t saying that black coffees are more superior than the whites, but they are certainly different and not to mention, way healthier. Go bold. Go black. Why Is The Espresso So Indispensable, Yet Under-appreciated? A majority of coffee drinkers find espresso intimidating and don’t think they can ever enjoy it on its own. Black coffee is often associated with moustachioed bikers – reputed as a brew so bold that only the toughest guys are capable of handling. Or maybe before we even had the chance to taste a well-prepared coffee in its purest form, our impression were prematurely ruined by the overly acidic and often ‘stale’ brew from major fast-food joints. Eventually, we are convinced that adding milk and sugar is the only sensible way of drinking the wake-up juice. Nothing exhibits a roaster’s taste, talent and craft better than a cup of unpretentious black coffee. If you have been contemplating the switch, perhaps it is time to take the leap of faith again, though not with the substandard cuppa from the drive-thru window. Regardless the reason that sparked the urge for change, we are glad you are making an effort to broaden your palette towards the appreciation for the ‘god’s cup’. Top Reasons For People Making The Switch Healthier Choice Let us sweeten the deal by placing the most enticing aspect of drinking espresso on the table. It contains ZERO calories. Your daily grind boasts as many benefits as its other sophisticated anti-aging counterparts such as dark chocolate and wine, but only if it is consumed in its purest and simplest form. This means that you do not smother your beautiful shot of espresso with globs of cream, milk and sugar. Your average 12 oz cup (350 ml or ‘Tall’) of milk coffee averages around 300 calories, with as much as 6 grammes of saturated fats. That’s equivalent to the amount of saturated fats in a McDonald’s Cheeseburger. Just saying. Flavour Espresso is always vaguely described as ‘rich in flavour’, but one can never fully appreciate its true flavour without first cultivating a palate for it. Like wine, coffee beans that originated from different country or region can taste dramatically different. Without the need for flavouring, each humble coffee bean can hide a wide array of nuanced undertones ranging from nuts, chocolate, strawberries and even lemons. By cutting the milk and sugar, your taste buds will begin to appreciate the understated elegance of the espresso laced with gentle doses of complexity. Hassle-Free, No-Frills and Cheaper Even for coffee, less is often more. Espresso and its other variations of black coffee are significantly simpler than their cream-and-sugared counterpart, delivering a healthier and more economical caffeinated hit with nothing short of perfection. Read Part 2 on "Making the Switch", find out how to start appreciating the brew-tiful black coffee. When you are ready, come by JavaHava's for an experience!