You will be saying danke schon when you try this stupendous paradigm of the Viennese coffee house tradition, the Einspanner. This exceptional and chocolaty form of espresso and cream will quickly become your cold-weather go-to cuppa.
The Einspanner isn’t just a delectable cup of coffee and other accouterments but it also has a fascinating historical background that highlights how a beverage can be both practical and delicious!
If you have been having trouble choosing between hot cocoa and coffee, allow us to make your decision a bit easier, by introducing you to the wondrous Einspanner.
The origins of the Einspanner
The Einspanner can trace its origins to the great Austrian coffee scene where Vienna in particular served up some of the best and for some time the only, coffee on the European continent. The drink was initially prepared to keep carriage drivers fueled up and able to drive their horses. In fact, "Einspanner" means "one-horse carriage" in German, most likely in reference to the clientele who loved this drink.
What is especially cool about the Einspanner is that it served a pretty practical function. The glass allows carriage drivers to hold their cups with one hand and their reins with the other. The cream at the top keeps their coffee insulated, though if they needed to down their coffee quickly for any number of reasons, the cream would cool it off! Not only that but driving horse-drawn carriages is hard work and requires lots of stamina and mental focus. The coffee would of course keep drivers awake and alert while the cream and chocolate would help stave off hunger pangs and help them feel satiated while they drove.
But what is an Einspanner?
The Einspanner itself is an interestingly complex beverage but also a very approachable one, too. The Einspanner is comprised of two shots of espresso, plenty of milk and cream on top, and a sprinkling of cocoa powder on top of that. Sometimes brown sugar is added to further sweeten the drink. Traditionally enjoyed hot, the Einspanner is a perfect iced treat too when the weather changes but your coffee preferences do not.
This makes Einspanner a perfect treat for those looking to indulge their sweet tooth but who also do truly want to get as much caffeinated power as possible. It also makes Einspanner a perfect drink for colder weather as it has a bit of a hot chocolate character to it. But as mentioned above, hot weather welcomes chocolaty flavors too, of course!
Guten Morgen, Einspanner
The Einspanner is a great morning, afternoon, or even post-dinner/dessert beverage. Why not give this Austrian delight a try today? You don't have to be driving horse-drawn carriages to enjoy this sweet and tasty drink. You may just discover your new favorite mode of coffee!
Works Cited
- “Einspänner Coffee (Viennese Coffee).” Frances’ Menu, 13 Oct. 2015, frances.menu/einspanner-coffee-viennese-coffee/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.
- “Vienna Einspänner Iced Coffee.” London Is Hungry, 20 May 2022, londonishungry.com/vienna-einspanner-iced-coffee/#:~:text=Einsp%C3%A4nner%20coffee%20is%20an%20Austrian. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.
- Ed, LeaDan Yee. “NEW BLOG! 7 of LeaDan’s Favorite Einspanners.” The South of Seoul Blog, 19 Aug. 2021, blog.southofseoul.net/the-einspanner-experience/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2022.
