Home-Cafe Trends to Try while You’re Stuck at Home
Written By Pat Bui
COVID-19… for over a year, the whole world has been fighting this strange epidemic. Once new and terrifying, Covid has now made its way into our daily routines - masks, check-in QR codes, and… spontaneous lockdowns.
Currently, this is Victoria’s 5th 4th Stage lockdown, and although doing so is necessary to fight this stubborn virus, staying at home for so long can only lead to feeling frustrated and stuffy. This feeling can become even more deadly than the virus itself.
As someone who is a sworn homebody, I’ve learnt many new hobbies to keep myself entertained. That’s what’s made my lockdowns easier - keeping myself interested. So today, let me share with you one hobby that not only kept my mind happy, but my stomach too. For all my home-cafe nerds out there, here is my guide on how to treat and refresh yourself with these delicious and beautiful drinks.
Cinnamon iced latte
Spice up your simple latte by adding a touch of cinnamon.
Start by filling the cup with ice until it just reaches the mouth of the cup, and pour in some milk until it fills ⅓ of the cup. Prepare your choice of coffee - this can be instant coffee, and whisk some milk in a cup to make some milk foam. Once this is done, add your shot of espresso, layer it with milk foam and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. For bonus points add a cinnamon stick for the aesthetics.
‘Strawberry milk’
Let’s take ‘strawberry milk’ to another level.
Start by chopping up some strawberries into small bits, then put them in a medium ball. Add sugar and start mashing the strawberries and sugar together to create a sweet strawberry syrup. Leave the syrup for at least 10 minutes to sweeten and chop some more strawberries while you wait, this time in bigger slices. Once the syrup is finished, place a little at the bottom of a cup. Add some ice and pour in some milk, and there you have it! Add your strawberry slices for a stylish finishing touch, and mix everything together to drink.
DAlgona Coffee
Soft, whipped coffee - an easy and quick treat.
We all know Dalgona Coffee as that one TikTok trend that went viral last year during lockdown, but did you know the drink first trended in South Korea? Simply combine instant coffee, sugar and warm water with a ratio of 1:1:1 and mix away! You can beat it with a spoon or an electric beater, but the latter certainly saves you lots of time and effort. Beat until the colour of the coffee has lightened to a golden brown and the foam forms soft peaks. Add it to some milk on ice… and voila. Trendy, easy, and amazingly yummy.
‘iced coffee’ latte
Taking ‘Iced Coffee’ literally for the perfect, refreshing twist.
We’re all very familiar with the basic Iced Coffee, but how about literal “Iced Coffee”? Not only does this mean it’s incredibly quick to make, but it also means you won’t have to force yourself to finish a watered-down latte once the ice has melted. Prepare some iced coffee beforehand by pouring your choice of coffee into an ice-cube tray and let it freeze. Once enjoy with milk and some syrup for extra sweetness. A morning coffee just got a whole lot easier.
Cherry ade
Add some colour to your boring old lemonade…
add some cherries! Lay in your homemade cherry syrup (the same method used for the strawberry syrup above), put in some ice and add some lemonade or Sprite (or your favourite soda) for that fizzy goodness. Top it all off with some extra cherries for garnish and there you go! Switch out the cherries for other fruits for different moods, such as berries & citrus fruits. Best served on a sunny, hot day.
brown sugar fresh milk
Here’s how to fulfil those bubble tea cravings.
One of the most famous drinks worldwide, this popular drink is now everywhere - let’s learn how to make it from home. Boil your desired amount of tapioca pearls until soft. While waiting for the pearls, get lots of brown sugar, a little bit of tapioca starch and some boiling water in a pan and mix the three while they boil, then set aside. Once the pearls are done, pour in your brown sugar syrup and spin the cup around so it covers the whole cup. Then pour in your pearls, some ice and add in your milk. Get a straw and slurp away!
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Surviving lockdown can get hard and hopefully, these mouth-watering drinks can cool you down and lift your spirits every time you feel down. Here’s a challenge: make all of these drinks in order and try them all! Once you’ve done that let us know how it went in the comments… maybe with some drink recommendations?