When it’s cold outside and people need to warm up, the thing they want the most is a hot cup of tea or coffee. However, it can be harder to appeal to the public when the temperature is heating up and everyone simply wants something to cool them down.
Instead of looking mournfully at the long queues for the ice-cream van next door, why not reinvent some of your most popular coffees to keep attracting customers over the summer months?
Affogato is often seen on dessert menus, but when you’re not sure if you want a soft scoop or a caffeinated drink, it is the ideal option.
Translated as “drowned in coffee”, affogatos are a scoop of vanilla ice-cream in a shot of espresso. If you want to make yours stand out, offer sprinkles of nuts or chocolate on top.
This is the ideal option on those scorching hot days, particularly for parents who are jealous of their kids’ ice-creams but want something a little more grown-up.
Coffee and tonic might sound like a strange combination but it is fast becoming one of the most popular.
Serve tonic water over some cool ice and pour a shot of espresso on top. The coffee sinks into the fizz, pairing the sharp tangy flavour of the tonic with the strong rich taste of coffee.
It is a great afternoon drink, giving customers a refreshing option in the midday sunshine.
For extra sweetness, you could add a shot of syrup, or garnish it with lemon slices to bring out the sharpness of the tonic.
Another cool beverage you should put on your menu is dalgona coffee, which is light, fluffy and has just enough kick to start the day right.
To make the drink, simply whip coffee, sugar and water together until it has a foam-like consistency. Pour this over a glass of milk for a creamy morning brew.
This coffee is going to be popular among Gen Z, as it has become huge on TikTok, as well as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
There are many ways to make your version unique as well, whether you serve it over chocolate milk like a mocha dalgona, add some vanilla extract or lift the flavour with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.
All the cafes are doing their own version of iced coffee, but it can be hard to replicate some of them in a mobile coffee van.
However, maple iced coffee is a simple, yet delicious, drink that customers will love just as much as anything crushed, blended or whisked.
It is simply black coffee that has cooled down with some maple syrup and cinnamon powder. The syrup means patrons don’t miss their usual milk, and the spice breaks through the sweetness.
You could even serve this by the pitcher, allowing friends to share a jug between them, so they can keep cool and refreshed on a sunny day.
