Savory Twists on Coffee and the Soy Sauce Question

A scallion latte tasted on a CCTV livestream drew blunt reactions: hosts said it seemed like vegetables had fallen into the coffee and that a white scallion aroma came through. The clip spread quickly online. It follows other experimental pairings such as flower tea coffee, fruit coffee, and drinks inspired by roast goose, white cut chicken, aged vinegar, and fish mint, which push coffee toward savory, sauce-like notes.

Novelty flavors can capture short-lived attention, but a drink still has to taste good to bring customers back. Savory and fermented ingredients, including aged vinegar, are what give some of these cups a soy-sauce-like edge, which is why people ask why coffee tastes like soy sauce. Shops that treat unusual pairings as a one-off stunt rather than a repeatable menu item tend to lose the crowd once the novelty fades, and the scallion latte is a clear example.

Coffee has long become part of everyday life, yet in recent years all kinds of "novel" pairings have emerged one after another, constantly refreshing people's understanding of this beverage. Recently, a "scallion latte" appeared on a CCTV livestream, and after tasting it, the host and guests remarked bluntly that it "tastes like vegetables fell into the coffee" and that they "could taste a white scallion aroma," quickly sparking heated discussion. From flower tea coffee and fruit coffee to special concoctions inspired by dishes like roast goose, white cut chicken, aged vinegar, and fish mint, coffee shop owners have practically moved the entire Chinese menu into coffee cups. Novelty flavors can certainly grab momentary attention, but coffee ultimately has to meet the bottom line of tasting good. This article will take you through these wildly imaginative specials and explore the consumer logic behind novelty coffee along with Front Street brand recommendations.

▲

Click to follow | Daily specialty coffee culture magazine Coffee Works

Today coffee has become a common beverage in people's daily lives. However, in recent years, a dazzling array of "trendy" combinations have emerged around the way coffee is consumed, and I wonder how many of them you have tried.

Not long ago, a beverage called "scallion latte" appeared on a CCTV livestream. After tasting it, the host and guests from CCTV News all said it was eye-opening, describing it as: "It feels like vegetables fell into the coffee," "I could taste a kind of white scallion aroma"... After hearing such comments, don't you want to give it a try yourself?

In the comments section, some netizens also joked: "I think you'd at least need to heat some oil and pour it over first," "Bring some minced garlic too," "Coffee can be niche, but it can't be sacrilegious," "Can you make it pop with oil for extra aroma? The hard-hitting stuff looks intense." These remarks really bring to life a certain crosstalk performer's old bit about "brewing coffee and sprinkling cilantro on it."

From the earliest flower tea coffee and fruit coffee to today when major regional cuisines are being incorporated into coffee one after another, coffee shop owners seem determined to pour the entire Chinese cookbook into the cup.

In Guangdong alone, there has been the roast goose-inspired "Roast Goose Sour Plum Iced Coffee," the white cut chicken-inspired "Ginger Scallion White Cut Chicken Americano," the soy milk-inspired "Yuan Yang Soy Milk," and the herbal tea-inspired "Herbal Tea Coffee"... truly the representative Cantonese dishes of the coffee world.

In addition, there are "Shanxi Aged Vinegar Americano," "Soy Sauce Jar Latte," "Fish Mint Americano," "Dried Chili Latte"...

It's as if coffee has instead become a supporting ingredient in a product.

In fact, as coffee culture gradually spreads, the consumption habits and pace of life of domestic consumers are changing, and people's acceptance and awareness of coffee continue to rise, so naturally their demand for quality is also getting higher and higher.

Nowadays, it's already quite difficult to stand out relying solely on the subtle differences between coffee flavors, so some coffee shop owners can only find another way out, catering to consumers' curiosity with endlessly varied flavors and innovative packaging.

Although novelty coffee can often attract consumers' attention right away, relying on novelty alone is usually not enough to keep customers around for the long term.

With the popularity of "special forces-style" travel on social platforms, merchants everywhere have been launching flavor coffees with local characteristics. This novelty sales approach usually satisfies young people's need for travel check-ins.

But ultimately, coffee still has to meet the standard of "tasting good" to count as a qualified beverage.

Image source: Internet

Disclaimer: Some images in this article are from the Internet, and for some content on the website such as images, we will respect the original copyright and indicate the source. However, due to the large quantity, some images and text may not have been credited in time; please forgive us. If the original author has any disputes, they may contact the website for handling. Once verified, we will correct it immediately. Compiled and edited by "Coffee Works"; please indicate the source when reposting. If there is any infringement, please inform us for deletion. Thank you~!

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.