Tag: Egg coffee

Originating from necessity in Vietnam and as a resourceful brewing technique in Scandinavia, people put raw eggs in coffee for a surprising variety of reasons, including clarifying the flavor and creating decadent textures. This practice is more than a viral trend; it represents deep cultural traditions and offers unique culinary benefits.

While the practice has largely faded in Sweden itself, it persists among Scandinavian-American communities in the Midwest, where it is often referred to as "church basement coffee". Adding egg to coffee grounds originated as a clever way to clarify the brew, remove bitterness, and achieve a velvety-smooth texture without modern filters.

Food safety experts warn that consuming unpasteurized raw eggs carries a risk of Salmonella poisoning, a fact critical to understand when considering if you can add a raw egg to coffee. However, this practice is a long-standing tradition in various cultures, celebrated for its unique flavor and texture profile.

The average cup of Vietnamese egg coffee contains between 250 and 350 calories. This rich beverage was created in Hanoi during the French Indochina War due to a milk shortage. The exact caloric count depends heavily on the preparation method and the quantity of sweetened condensed milk and egg yolk used.

The practice of adding eggs to coffee has a rich and storied history, predating modern brewing methods. It is not a bizarre food trend but a traditional technique used for both clarifying coffee and creating a rich, dessert-like beverage. So, why do some people put eggs in their coffee? The answer lies in centuries-old Scandinavian and Vietnamese culinary customs.

In Vietnam, a coffee shop owner in the 1940s invented egg coffee to combat milk scarcity, demonstrating a long history of this practice. Adding an egg to your coffee can produce a dramatically smoother, richer, and less bitter cup by clarifying the brew and emulsifying the fat. This technique is used in traditional recipes, most notably Scandinavian and Vietnamese egg coffees.

Originating during a milk shortage in 1946 Hanoi, Vietnamese egg coffee became a creamy delicacy that has since gained international fame. The unique preparation method, however, raises a crucial question for the health-conscious: is it good to drink egg coffee, and what are the true health implications of this rich, custard-like beverage?