As expected, the out-of-home experience of going out to cafes and restaurants for coffee intake that dominated coffee lovers’ lives before, has shifted to an in-home drinking practice amidst this global pandemic. As a matter of fact, with home being the only option basically available, it has become “…ground(s) zero for coffee consumption…” (Powell 2020) since even the largest coffee chains are experiencing limited access or entire closure of their stores. Coffee nevertheless, remains a necessity for regular coffee drinkers who consume an average of 2.4 servings a day (Power 2020). Now, the question has become, what are coffee drinkers doing to still enjoy their coffee experiences? Coffee, although a necessity, brings joy to many (myself included), so with their being an experiential factor to its consumption, how can this still be created within the confinements of our homes? Let’s find out….

Canada is actually one of the largest in the world, with most coffee lovers spicing up their breakfast time with a morning coffee, and it is not only millennials who love their coffee, but actually, the age for Canadians for coffee consumptions ranges between 18 and 79, showing how basically all ages love or are in need of their coffee. 

To understand how coffee intake can still have a pleasurable side to it during these times, I decided to research some new ways that people have ingeniously created their coffees at home, which can inspire anyone to join in on this innovative fun and make their coffee experiences that much more exciting:

For caramel lovers with a Keurig Machine at home:

• All this needs is a Keurig machine, Caramel Sauce, Milk, Brown Sugar, and of course, Caramel Drizzle 
• A 4 min ready recipe involving simply frothing the milk, adding the sugar, brewing the coffee, and topping with caramel drizzle and there you have it, a caramel delight

For those without a machine at home, but still wanting the new and popular coffee trends:

• Dalgona Coffee: https://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2020/04/dalgona-coffee.html
• Whipped, frothy iced coffee drink only involving instant coffee, sugar water, and milk
• This coffee has been the internet frenzy, all over Instagram and TikTok recently, creating a hashtag alongside it #dalgonacoffee, which received more than 200 million views via TikTok 

International Coffees:

• Turkish: this requires more ingredients at play, but definitely worth the unique taste this coffee offers
• In Turkey, they never inquire IF you want a coffee, but rather how you take your coffee (Sanford 2019)

For those wanting to add a little spice to the fun, you can add some alcohol to your coffee: 

• Cuban Hot Coffee
• Grab some hot coffee, a bit of gold rum, some sugar, and some brown crème de cacao, mix it all together, stir, and it’s ready to serve

For those Starbucks lovers (with any machine at home): 

• Starbucks Flat White: 
• Simply make two shots of espresso, steam some milk, then froth that milk until foamy and pour it over the espresso shots, creating a perfect blend that tastes the same as one from Starbucks, no need to spend that extra money! 

AND DID YOU KNOW? You can add real spices as well to delight your senses while sipping on these hot or cold coffee beverages:

• Cinnamon: This spice will make it feel like a warm autumn day anywhere you are
• Cardamom: This exotic flavour will provide for an entirely unique experience like never before
• Nutmeg: This spice will add a hint of earthiness to your taste buds in a slightly sweet way
• Cocoa Nibs: A chocolate lover? No problem! These nibs will satisfy your chocolate cravings in a nuttier and natural way 
• More spices that can be added!

This list can essentially go on and on with various different recipes that can be crafted simply in the confinements of your own home! The simplicity within all of this shows how much we can truly make by just opening our computers and searching these recipes. 

Instead of moping or feeling sad that coffee shops may be closed, just tap into your inner barista and see what you can create with minimal ingredients, less money, and easy recipes! 

Time to let those innovations shine. Next up, with some home-made latte art!