The Very Scandinavian Origins Of Egg Coffee

You've probably heard of eggplant and egg rolls, but have you heard of Scandinavian egg coffee? Egg coffee originated with Scandinavian people (mostly Swedish and Norwegian folks) who used eggs to clarify subpar coffee. In the 19th century, some immigrated to the midwestern U.S. The coffee the newcomers had access to was not always to their liking, so they set about changing it, though not by adding salt or cinnamon to their cup as you might now. The old method of adding an egg to a pot of coffee made it taste less bitter and more palatable, as the addition helped to absorb some of the bitter tannins.

To make egg coffee, start by boiling a pot of water on the stove (perhaps we should add it to the ways to brew coffee without a coffee maker). While you're waiting on the water, crack an egg into a glass and add the ground coffee to it. When the water starts to boil, pour the egg and coffee mixture into the pot and let it boil for five minutes before adding cold water to the vessel. This should make the egg and coffee mixture sink to the bottom, taking with it all of the coffee's bitterness and impurities. All that's left to do is strain the brew into your mug and enjoy.

You won't find egg coffee on the menu at Dunkin' or Starbucks, but you will often find it at festivals in Minnesota, where the Scandinavian-American fusion of food cultures is still celebrated; egg coffee is just one way in which locals honor their heritage. In fact, the Minnesota State Fair often sells the beverage to fair-goers as a nod to the brave souls who settled in the state.

When Scandinavian immigrants arrived in the Midwest, two things were of key importance to them: coffee and church. Egg coffee brought the two together. In fact, egg coffee is often referred to as "church basement coffee" because of its role in post-worship fellowship. That's in part because it was an easy way to offer a decent cup of coffee to a large group of parishioners, stretching the church's budget by helping to make cheap coffee taste better.

While you may not find Scandinavians making egg coffee as much today as their forebears did, coffee drinking remains a big part of Norwegian and Swedish culture. The Swedes even have a word for it: fika. Fika is a break in the afternoon when you gather with friends for a cup of coffee and a sweet dessert, which may sound a lot more appealing than an egg in your coffee.