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UEFA European Championship 2016 – Group E and their coffee

Euro 2016 - Group E

We’ve reached Group E and so far we’ve worked out that for the most part, Europe loves coffee, and the variations of coffee from nation to nation has been quite pronounced.

But any group with Italy in surely is going to win? The fathers of modern coffee, pioneers in all things espresso, the Italians must be the nation to beat in the coffee stakes?

They aren’t too bad at football either!

Group E

Belgium flag

Belgium – ‘koffie’

Famous for their chocolate, which as we all know, is the perfect accompaniment to a top-class coffee.

The ‘Red Devils’ also have a wealth of top-class talent within their ranks, including the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku.

But how do they drink their coffee? Well with orange liqueur, cinnamon, egg and cream.

We think they are on to a winner, and they even stand a chance of making it far in France!

Not limited to just an orange liqueur coffee, the Belgian’s are pioneers of the ‘balance brewer’, which is a type of coffee siphon, that looks like something you would likely see in a laboratory.

And we thought the German’s were famed for their engineered prowess…

Italy flag

Italy – ‘Caffè’

Espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, latte, cortado. The inventors of modern coffee, Italy has a rich coffee and footballing heritage.

With the invention of the steam-driven instant coffee beverage machine by Angelo Moriondo in 1884, Angelo is often cited as the father of the espresso itself.

Made to meet the needs of those in a hurry and not wanting to wait five minutes for coffee to brew, the espresso machine pioneered the way coffee was prepared for vast portions of Europe since it’s inception.

A popular coffee drink in the old Italian city of Torino, the Bicerin is a perfect coffee for those with a sweet tooth.

Made with espresso, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon and milk foam, Conte Cavour’s creation is yet another exceptional Italian coffee export.

The kings of modern coffee.

Ireland flag

Republic of Ireland – ‘coffee/caife’

Plucky underdogs at this tournament, the Irish have always gave a good account of themselves on the world stage, and even in the coffee stakes do they offer something uniquely ‘Irish’.

Ireland is a tea-drinking nation, which is probably a lot to do with the close ties with the United Kingdom, but during the 1940s Limerick Airport’s head chef served the concoction to a group of American tourists in a bid to warm them up.

After asking whether the coffee was Brazilian, Sheridan told the passengers that is was “Irish coffee.”

Made with whiskey, hot coffee, fresh cream and brown sugar, this is a favourite of tourists coming to the Emerald Isle year-on-year.

We’d wager that the ‘boys in green’ won’t have the opportunity to sample many in France this summer…

Sweden flag

Sweden – ‘kaffe’

It may come as a surprise to some, but the Swedes are some of the largest coffee consumers per person on the planet.

They even have a break in the day for coffee, which is known as ‘fika’.

A cultural requisite which often includes baked sweets, fruit or sandwiches alongside a coffee. Those in Sweden (and Finland) are even guaranteed breaks with unofficial fika at 10am and 3pm. Which might luckily coincide with some matches being played this summer…

As for the coffee itself, how about Swedish egg coffee? It’s literally a lightly beaten egg added to coffee! Just add together and then bring to the boil, strain and serve.

Unusual, just like the nation that brought us Abba.