This time Front Street is going to share a rather unusual brewing method—it breaks out of the framework of conventional pour-over and grafts the matcha whisking technique from Japanese tea ceremony onto coffee extraction. The person who created this "Way of Coffee" is none other than Hiroshi Fujioka, star of the original Kamen Rider. He favors Peruvian beans, Japanese-style dark roast, and coarse grinding, pouring water in a steady drip throughout, then using a chasen to whisk the coffee liquid into a dense foam. Front Street couldn't resist trying it out personally, recreating it once with a medium-dark roasted Blue Mountain bean. What kind of aroma and mouthfeel can this method actually bring? And why must it be drunk against the clock? The following will reveal all. [more…]

Matcha lattes have recently become popular again, which reminded Front Street Coffee of a rather unique coffee-making method we shared in the early years. The inspiration for this method comes from matcha preparation in Japanese tea ceremony: using a chasen to beat the coffee liquid until it produces a dense foam, thereby enhancing the aroma and mouthfeel. Its creator was not a professional barista, but the actor Hiroshi Fujioka. While traveling the world, he was inspired by coffees from various places, and after returning home, inspired by his mother's tea ceremony, he incorporated the whisking technique into coffee making. This article will give a complete introduction to this distinctive method: from matcha basics, bean selection, and brewing parameters to whisking techniques and tasting comparisons, along with Front Street Coffee's hands-on experience and suggestions, suitable for coffee lovers to try in their spare time. [more…]

Matcha lattes have recently become popular again, which reminded Front Street Coffee of a unique coffee-making method we shared in the early years—whipping coffee liquid with a matcha chasen to create a dense foam. This method was created by actor Hiroshi Fujioka, inspired by his mother's tea ceremony, transplanting the whisking action used in matcha preparation onto coffee. It not only enhances the aroma and mouthfeel but also carries a distinctively Japanese character. This article will provide a complete introduction to this method: from background knowledge on matcha and the whisking method of tea preparation, to coffee bean selection, brewing parameters, chasen whisking technique, and finally an actual tasting comparison. Front Street Coffee used Blue Mountain coffee beans and a Kono dripper for the brewing demonstration, and recorded the noticeable differences in flavor before and after whisking, making it suitable for trying at home. [more…]

Matcha and coffee may seem to belong to two different worlds, but what kind of flavor collision would occur if we borrowed the brewing logic of matcha to make coffee? Before getting hands-on, Front Street Coffee will first take everyone back through the historical origins of matcha—it began with the whisked tea method of China's Song Dynasty, and after localized evolution, became part of Japanese tea ceremony culture, which emphasizes the spirit of "harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility." Traditional matcha brewing requires a small amount of matcha powder with 70°C~80°C warm water, first blended in a bowl with a tea whisk, then a measured amount of warm water is added and whisked to create foam, producing a thick, delicate layer of foam. This article unfolds around the origins of matcha, key brewing points, and the specific method for making matcha coffee, while preserving relevant images and recommendation information in appropriate places. [more…]

Got too much chocolate at home and can't finish it? Why not turn it into a cup of coffee where chocolate takes center stage. This article rounds up four easy chocolate coffee recipes: starting with the most classic mocha, then moving on to a sweeter salted mocha, an orange-chocolate latte with the aroma of orange wafer cookies, and a chocolate Dirty that blends hot and cold. Using Front Street Coffee's classic espresso blend as an example, the article provides espresso extraction parameters, the ratio of chocolate to milk, tips for adjusting between hot and cold versions, and a practical trick for melting chocolate chunks directly instead of using chocolate syrup, helping coffee lovers easily recreate these drinks in their own kitchens. [more…]

Latte art is a common visual delight in today's coffee shops, but have you ever thought that exquisite patterns could also be drawn on the surface of a cup of tea? "Tea hundred opera" in Song Dynasty tea whisking is exactly such an ancient skill. Recently, a Shanghai graphic designer hit the trending searches for painting Chinese paintings on tea infusion. He grinds white tea, pours water seven times and whisks, then uses tea paste to outline ancient paintings on the dense tea foam. The whole process must be completed within ten minutes. What is the difference between tea hundred opera and latte art? What are the differences between ancient painting methods and modern improvements? This article will guide you through the process of Song Dynasty tea whisking, the term "biting the cup" in tea competitions, as well as the historical records and operational details of tea hundred opera, while retaining the professional recommendation of Front Street Coffee. [more…]

In the cold of winter, a latte that combines the bright sweetness of citrus with the silky smoothness of chocolate is enough to warm both body and soul. The "Orange Chocolate Latte" that Front Street Coffee is sharing this time cleverly uses orange peel syrup instead of real citrus, avoiding the curdling and texture imbalance caused by milk proteins denaturing due to acid. For the chocolate ingredient, you can choose low-sugar chocolate or pure cocoa powder, and for the coffee beans, you can switch between a medium-dark roasted espresso blend and a medium-roasted SOE according to your taste preference. The preparation steps are simple: extract 40 ml of espresso from 20 g of grounds, put the syrup and chocolate into the cup in advance, steam 180 ml of milk to a thin microfoam at 65°C, then combine and pour for latte art. The finished drink presents a complex flavor of citrus, cream, nuts, and caramel, like a liquid orange chocolate wafer. [more…]

A cup of frothy coffee that requires repeated whipping hundreds of times quickly became popular due to the Korean variety show "New Product Launch Convenience Restaurant." During the pandemic, Koreans trapped at home rushed to imitate it, sparking a check-in craze on social platforms. Many people think this was invented in Korea, but its origins actually lie in Macau—at the Han Kee tea stall in an abandoned shipyard in the city's ring district. The owner mixed instant coffee powder, hot water, and granulated sugar in a 1:1:1 ratio, whipping it by hand at high speed to achieve a dense foam after about four hundred strokes. This article traces the origin and principles of this drink, and provides specific steps to recreate it using espresso and an electric milk frother, preserving Front Street Coffee's production demonstration and tasting experience. [more…]

Mocha coffee has evolved from the classic version into many new forms, among which the "salted mocha" has rapidly gained popularity in the coffee world in recent years. Simply adding a pinch of salt to the traditional mocha recipe can make the sweetness more prominent and the aroma more vivid, and the interwoven salty-sweet flavor is deeply loved by modern consumers. In this article, Front Street will provide a detailed introduction to two methods of making salted mocha—hot and iced—including ingredient preparation, coffee bean selection suggestions, specific ratios, and operating steps. It will also explain the differences between mocha latte and cappuccino, helping coffee enthusiasts easily recreate this beverage at home. [more…]

Mocha coffee was once a classic menu item alongside lattes and cappuccinos in Italian-style coffeehouses, and a favorite of many coffee lovers. However, many specialty coffee shops today no longer feature mocha as a main offering, and some have even removed it from their menus, replaced by products more favored by today's consumers, such as dirty coffee and oat milk lattes. Is mocha really about to disappear from coffee shops? Actually, that is not the case—while traditional mocha is no longer popular, its variant "salted mocha" has risen rapidly and become a hot product in the coffee world in recent years. This article will provide a complete guide to making salted mocha, from ingredient preparation and coffee bean selection to both hot and iced versions, and explain why it is more popular than traditional mocha. [more…]

Not every coffee lover owns an espresso machine or a moka pot, but wanting to drink a rich, smooth milk coffee doesn't have to be difficult. This article centers on the common question "Can milk powder be used instead of milk to make a latte," and, drawing on Front Street Coffee's practical experience, systematically sorts out the key operating points, ratio suggestions, and precautions for using milk powder in two scenarios: low-concentration black coffee brewed by pour-over and espresso. The article not only explains the principle of reconstituting milk powder into milk, but also gives specific references for powder amount, water temperature, and ratio, and recommends the Front Street Boundary Estate · Sidra coffee beans suitable for making milk coffee. Whether you want to simply experience the fun of using milk powder to make milk coffee, or try using milk powder to steam milk foam for latte art, you can find an executable solution here. [more…]

Want to enjoy a cappuccino at home but lack professional tools—can a whisk replace a steam wand to produce ideal milk foam? What is the best temperature to heat the milk to? This article focuses on four core points in cappuccino making—milk temperature, foam density, foam quantity, and milk texture—explaining one by one how to create fine, silky milk foam so that the coffee's own sweetness can be fully released. The article also shares Front Street Coffee's hands-on experience with steam milk temperature control, foaming rhythm, and pouring technique, helping you make a cappuccino close to cafe quality even without professional equipment. [more…]

Pour-over coffee brewing methods are endless, and recently a technique called the "egg-beating brewing method," a stirred extraction approach, has made a comeback, reportedly able to significantly boost coffee's sweetness. Front Street, driven by curiosity, conducted three rounds of comparative experiments: starting with a light-to-medium roast natural-process bean without blooming, then switching beans and adjusting the coffee-to-water ratio, and finally reintroducing the blooming step, to verify this technique's actual effects and problems one by one. The article meticulously records each round's brewing parameters, techniques, and flavor performance, and analyzes how grind size, water temperature, coffee-to-water ratio, and blooming affect the final cup's taste. If you also want to try this novel stirred extraction, or are looking for brewing ideas to enhance sweetness, this hands-on record will provide concrete references. [more…]

Bamboo tube milk tea has quickly become popular thanks to its unique bamboo tube container, often selling for over thirty yuan, making it a new-generation internet-famous drink. However, recently some consumers discovered that beneath the sticker on the surface of the bamboo tube there was another label, raising doubts that the bamboo tubes were being recycled and reused. The shop involved explained it as an oversight in re-sticking labels and emphasized that the cups are single-use. Previously, a video of an elderly woman washing bamboo tubes by a river in Suzhou also sparked similar discussions, and the shop likewise denied recycling. Bamboo tube material is prone to mold and cracking, and direct contact with drinks poses food safety risks. The Beijing Dongcheng Market Supervision Administration recommends placing a beverage cup inside the bamboo tube to ensure safety. This article will review the course of the incident and the responses from all parties, and append related recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, bamboo tube milk tea has quickly gone viral on social platforms, becoming a new favorite for young people to check in. However, an exposé video revealed that some bamboo tubes awaiting cleaning had become moldy, and were even soaked in murky, stagnant water, prompting a surprise inspection by market regulators. Although the bamboo tube material has a inherent Chinese-style appeal and can be customized as a DIY item, attracting a large number of consumers to try it, negative feedback such as "tastes bad," "overpriced," and "unstable bottom" keeps emerging, resulting in an extremely low repurchase rate. Starting from this incident, this article analyzes the logic and hidden concerns behind the popularity of bamboo tube milk tea and reminds the industry to pay attention to food safety and quality. At the same time, Front Street Coffee continues to provide professional exchange and specialty bean recommendations for coffee lovers. [more…]

On February 7, ChaPanda launched a new bamboo-aroma oolong series. Among them, Bamboo-Aroma Kiwi uses Anxi Tieguanyin from Fujian as its tea base, paired with kiwi fruit pulp and wheatgrass. The official claim is that it uses kiwi from Zhouzhi County, Xi'an, highlighting selling points such as fresh fruit pulp, natural healthiness, and low calories to cut greasiness. However, after the new product launch, many consumers posted on social platforms reporting discomfort after drinking it, such as astringent mouthfeel, numb lips, and throat irritation. Some speculated that it was caused by unripe kiwi, while others suspected an allergic reaction. In response, ChaPanda has not yet made an official response. This article reviews the course of the incident, consumer feedback, and analysis of possible causes, and recommends related products from Front Street Coffee for coffee lovers. [more…]

Phoenix Dancong is famous for its rich aromas, and each aroma type has its own distinctive character. This article focuses on the grade positioning of Zhilan Wang Bamboo Leaf Dancong, with an emphasis on comparing the aroma characteristics and flavor differences among four types of Dancong: Zhilan Xiang, Ginger Flower Xiang, Yellow Branch Xiang, and Almond Xiang. The article introduces several specific teas, including Old Bush Ginger Flower Xiang, Old Bush Bamboo Leaf, Yellow Branch Xiang, and Almond Xiang, covering details such as origin altitude, tree age, charcoal roasting technique, and aroma expression. It also retains Front Street brand recommendations and related product information, making it a useful reference for coffee enthusiasts who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the Phoenix Dancong aroma system. [more…]

Nowadays, high-pressure extraction tools such as manual presses and dual-valve moka pots are emerging one after another. Even without an expensive fully automatic or semi-automatic espresso machine, you can still make a cup of strong coffee at home that is close to espresso flavor. However, these devices cannot directly provide milk foam like a coffee machine. If you want a "latte" or "cappuccino" with a velvety texture, you still need to find another way. In this article, Front Street will guide you through the principles of milk foam formation, teach you step by step how to make milk foam at home with an electric milk frother, answer common questions such as foam that has been whipped too thick or has a rough surface, and finally discuss the optimal temperature of milk for cappuccino. [more…]

Dalgona coffee has taken the internet by storm with its cloud-like, velvety foam and caramel-sweet flavor, while the frozen version of Dalgona coffee needs only one extra step of chilling to transform the coffee foam into an ice cream-like texture, with layers that rival a snow-topped coffee. But when making it, should you use espresso or instant freeze-dried powder? What exactly are the differences between the two in terms of whipping difficulty, flavor expression, and final mouthfeel? Front Street Coffee conducted two sets of comparative experiments using freshly brewed espresso and instant coffee powder respectively, recording everything from extraction parameter adjustments and whipping time to the texture of the final product, to help you find the method that suits you best. [more…]

Mocha coffee is richer in flavor and sweeter in aroma thanks to chocolate, and in recent years a variant called "Salted Mocha" has gone viral online. After trying it personally, Front Street Coffee found it truly excellent, so we've put together this complete tutorial. The article will detail the ingredient preparation for a Salted Mocha, including purified milk that takes a full day to make, as well as the pairing of espresso, chocolate sauce, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. The preparation section covers both hot and iced versions of the Salted Mocha—the former uses a tea whisk for stirring and steaming milk for latte art, while the latter is shaken in a cocktail shaker for an icy, rich experience. Throughout, Front Street Sunflower·Warm Sun blend coffee beans are used, which pair perfectly with the chocolate flavor. [more…]