The Land Down Under Part 2: The many flavourful Coffee moments in Melbourne, Victoria...

So Australia certainly has brought me many memories over the last year. Many of which were enriched with great conversations, laughs and relaxing breaks between adventures over a flavourful and much-needed caffeinated beverage.

My last post described my experience in Northern Queensland where I had a deliciously frothy latte at the Coffee Club chain that has cafes popping up almost on every corner just like Starbucks and Tim Hortons here in Canada. My Australian adventure didn't stop there. After my vacation in Port Douglas, I did return to the Land Down Under yet for another 3-week vacation, but this time in Melbourne, Victoria and other surrounding cities of this beautiful state.

Melbourne is a coffee beverage capital. When I arrived a Latte guidebook was presented to me for my perusal. Hmmm where to experience first!? Well, I didn't disappoint myself in the many a beverage I consumed and enjoyed. I will showcase 3 beverages I had here in this posting and in part 3 of my Australian segment, will describe 3 more.



Latte ~ Melba's Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia



The first featured beverage was a delicious frothy full-on frothy latte. This latte which adorned a heart design in the foam, was served to me in a swanky high-end hotel named Melba's, found in the heart of Melbourne's busy city. This hotel eatery was a beautiful and elegant buffet with such food stations as make-your-own tempura and seafood bar. The latte was light, very bold in flavour and had just enough steamed milk to make this combination espresso beverage delightful after a full buffet meal. It was a perfect ending to a delicious celebratory supper. The people I was dining with also ordered lattes and did comment that for those needing sugar to sweeten their drinks, this latte proved delicious even with the sugar enhancement.



Latte~ Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne, Australia



The second beverage I'm featuring in this segment I experienced atop Mount Dandenong with Devonshire tea. I was brought to this beautiful little tea room where my latte was coupled with homemade scones, clotted cream and jams, just like I remembered having in England, except with the espresso twist instead of a brewed spot of tea. The latte complemented the sweets and savories perfectly and added the right amount of bold taste. The experience could not have been better when you include white linens, sterling silver utensils and a view from atop a mountain. This is one place and one experience I hope to hold close for a long time.



Latte, Flat white, ~ St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia



The third beverage I'm featuring was on a street in the little town of St Kilda  that featured a beautiful and famous beach in the state of Victoria. Leroy cafe featured a deliciously rich latte, done flat white, no foam, just a white top, and rich with steamed full milk. The espresso was boldly within the milk's flavor, but made me feel fuller with the rich aroma of the whole coffee beans and full milk. I enjoyed this latte without the usual amount of froth for a change and this one did not disappoint. The art also looked interesting when I received it to drink with my muesli.

Stay tuned for more Melbourne and surrounding city lattes and caffeinated goodness to come soon!

The Land Down Under Part 1: Northern Queensland and it's exotic flavours

It's been a few weeks since I posted about the deliciously flavoured coffee drinks I enjoyed in the heart of Italy. Needless to say that experience would be quite difficult to top, however it definitely has been matched with sheer satisfaction in the land down under on numerous an occasion.

Travelling to and in Australia was definitely a major highlight of my life in 2011. I was blessed and very fortunate to be able to go there twice in one year and enjoy different parts of the country in each trip. The first trip in late January through mid February was definitely active with continuous travel and little sitting time. But between skydiving, sightseeing around the Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef, and getting interactive with the gorgeous marsupials of this nation (holding a koala is definitely incomparable to any experience I've had with wildlife), I was able to sit and savour a latte in Port Douglas - a beautiful little town close to the northernmost tip of Queensland.

The Coffee Club is a chain similar to Starbucks down in Australia. It serves pastries and meals alike to our familiar and frequent coffee chains, but also has the atmosphere of high-class relaxation since you're sitting with sand on your feet as opposed to concrete.

This is my first of a few posts about my consumed caffeinated liquid loves down under. Queensland certainly delivered a top-notch energy boosting drink when I needed it most as I was on my way up to the rainforests to zipline and come up close and personal with an exotic cassowary bird - second largest bird in the world between the ostrich and the emu. Thrilling to say the least, though returning to modern day conveniences of electricity and phone reception were definitely welcomed after spending 2 days on solely solar power :). The richness of the froth and the strength of the Daintree coffee beans defnitely tasted flavourful, bold and very satisfying to my craving for a caffeine rush.



Latte ~ Coffee House, Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia



 



Beautiful rare and exotic Cassowary bird.



If you get the chance to head to Cape Tribulation - the Northern rainforests of Queensland and the home of the cassowary and rare black palm tree, it's definitely worth the trip just to be able to say you've been there and seen the beautiful one in a lifetime wildlife and trees that only thrive there. Heck, the experiences of  ziplining and trying Wattleseed flavoured ice cream (yeah WATTLESEED) in Daintree would make me return any day!

A good old cuppa espresso and milk Italian style :)

So I thought to myself while travelling, "there's no way I cannot experience some sort of caffeinated goodness during my visit to Italy." So of course, I waited until I was sitting inside one of Italy's most historic buildings to fulfil that task - Castel St. Angelo.

This beautiful historic building where the Pope was hidden during much unrest, set the scene for my Italian espresso-tasting experience. Myself and my travel companions opted for a much-needed break after walking through this beauty and enjoyed a relaxing drink overlooking the Italian city.

The combination of the strong beans and frothy milk, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon, truly hit the spot and definitely gave me the kick I needed to continue on my merry sightseeing way in the beautiful city of Rome.

Italian coffee really left a mark in my memory. It was deliciously aromatic, strong in taste and satisfying in every way. Should your travels lead you to the beautiful historic country of Italy, do not forget to stop and smell the coffee beans along the way. You will want that extra caffeinated kick while exploring the Castel St. Angelo, the Colosseum, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain, just to name a few breathtaking landmarks :). Italy I love you! <3

Latte ~ cafe in Castel St. Angelo, Rome, Italy



 

The Pantheon

 

Colosseum :)

A Caffeinated buzz within the Rhine Valley!

Continuing along on my trip through Europe, the Rhine Valley in Germany, definitely prompted me to sample a beverage or two. The beautiful scenic views of castles on the hills and the water so calmly sitting beneath the charm of the architecture, set the scene to enjoy a coffee.

The group I travelled with ventured on a cruise along the river within St Goar, a quaint little German town within the Rhine Valley. Upon the cruise was a great crew and vast selection of snacks and enjoyable drinks to make the experience even more breathtaking than it already was.

The locals were charming and the coffee - splendid. I indulged in a Bailey's coffee supreme ~ a mixture of freshly ground Medium Roast coffee mixed with a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream liquor and topped with a dollop of whipped cream ~ divine! Definitely a highlight of my short, yet pleasant visit to this miniature version of larger German city such as Munich or Frankfurt.

Should you be fortunate to travel to Germany and get to walk along the streets and trails of this little beauty along the Rhine, don't hesitate to dabble in the coffeehouses and sample their speciality drinks. Not only will it satisfy that caffeine craving you'll desperately need from lack of sleep thanks to the excitement in exploring such a beautiful little scenic town, but it will also allow you to indulge in the beauty of such a great and flavorful cup of caffeinated goodness :).

Bailey's Coffee - Medium Roast Blend, Shot of Bailey's, Dollop of Whipped Cream ~ St. Goar, Germany



St. Goar, Germany - Rhine Valley, May 29, 2009



 

Taking in a little Viennese culture...and a little bit of Strudel...

In Europe I was quite fascinated by the number of cafes and coffee houses readily available for the avid tourist as myself to purchase a caffeine boost of a coffee or espresso. Everywhere I turned, there was some sort of place I could satisfy even the littlest cravings. Vienna, Austria was no exception.

My tour took me to Vienna, Austria, where many monuments, historic movements and famous people were discussed and noted. Heck, I even got the opportunity to stand in the actual room Mozart was discovered as a 5-year old prodigy.

As part of the historical and factual component to my day in Vienna, I was brought to the famous Sacher Hotel, where the famous Sacher torte and apple strudel both were served fresh daily and accompanied with a beverage of choice. Needless to say, my eyes opened wider at the idea of savouring a Viennese coffee coupled with a flaky serving of famous Viennese strudel.

Viennese coffee, brewed in a percolator and then served with a dollop of whipped cream on top. certainly sent me on my merry way with a nice pick-me-up in energy! The sweet whipped cream mixed with the strength of the shot of espresso within the cup was enough to handle the rest of my day of trying to read international maps.

The Sacher Hotel, in the heart of Vienna. A perfect place to experience and savour the famed Viennese coffee beverage many have grown to love and enjoy with any dessert available, or simply sip alone awaiting the adrenaline to kick in.

 





Beautiful Viennese Coffee coupled with Apple Strudel... Delicious at the Sacher Hotel~ Vienna, Austria



Exquisite Espresso Experience European Style ;)

Wow...Talk about alliteration in my title :)
It's no secret that Europe has many hidden gems when it comes to cafés and hot spots for a great coffee or cappuccino. So of course, when touring the continent, I decided to take in some of those commercialised and not-so obvious cafés to sample just what they had to offer.

Nice, France didn't disappoint. While my travel mate was resting and relaxing in the French Riviera basking by the waves of the Mediterranean sea, I strolled along the city streets with a fellow traveller in my group looking for a place to sample and savour a freshly brewed caffeinated creation.

Lo and behold, we find Le Victor Hugo café. Decked out with many homages to the film and his beloved story Les Misérables, the little coffee house showed a touch of creativity, diamond-in-the-rough charm, and of course, smelled like a giant coffee bean mixed with freshly baked baguettes. Perfect.

The cappuccino didn't disappoint. It definitely warranted a induction to my personal caffeinated beverage hall of fame. Check it out if you get the fortunate opportunity to head to the French Riviera on your next vacation :). Aurevoir :) x



Sampling the Cappuccino ~ May 2009.



Cappuccino ~ Victor Hugo Cafe, French Riviera,  Nice, France



Le Victor Hugo Cafe, French Riviera, Nice, France, May 2009





Hello Coffee lovers :)

The Coffee beverage, whether straight with zero enhancement, or sweetened to satisfy those with the inability to handle the strength of a bitter hot flavour on their palettes, has been enjoyed and savoured for centuries.

Being a great lover of caffeinated beverages, whether a frothy latte or cappuccino, or a sweetened mocha, spiked cup mixed with liquor such as Bailey's or Kahlua, or just a simple cup brewed to perfection mixed with my usual cream enhancement, I decided to take this fascination and seek varieties offered in various cafes, lounges and shops all over the world through my travels and in my own backyard of Ontario Canada.

I welcome your comments and photographs of your favourite coffee drinks experienced on your many adventures. Tell me about them!! Let's make this the best Coffee beverage blog out there!

Organic Regular Latte~ The Beet Organic Cafe, The Junction, Toronto, Ontario.