What a time to be alive. At the time of writing this, nearly 90+ countries are observing some form of “social distancing”–closed borders to select nations, ditto to public institutions, “shelter in place” mandates, etc. I am privileged enough to have food, water, electricity, connectivity, and a job that does not put in me the line of exposure (thank you healthcare, farmers, truckers, and grocers who are keeping society stable)…I recognize this is a heavy topic. But that’s why I want to celebrate and share (for those who haven’t learned of it yet) the latest South Korean trend that may or may not have already peaked on Tik Tok– enter the Dolgana Coffee [Challenge!].

Dolgana Coffee is something so simple that has been elevated to something fun and honestly, pretty classy looking. Milk (can use any kind), ice, and coffee topping. It’s so easy to make, just whip equal parts of 3 simple items together (I recommend a hand mixer unless this is an impromptu arm day session or a commitment to a masochist lifestyle or properly doing the challenge) :

  1. Hot Water
  2. Sugar
  3. Instant Coffee

I hear the coffee snobs in the back. As someone who’s spent a year in and out of a coffee facility, conducted cuppings for science, snacked on green coffee right off the port shipper, and still goes to coffee farms for fun while traveling–I up-snob thee. Kidding; but honestly the science on how instant coffee is made will take most people off their high horse. Look it up, it’s wild. One method essentially makes coffee “snow” fall.

How long to mix it for? You’ll know when it’s done mixing when you’ve gone from dark instant coffee syrup to a toffee colored foam(?) that makes soft peaks. I personally tried it with a 3 tbsp ratio–yields about one cup of product worth 3-4 drinks. If it’s just you, start with 1 tbsp ratio and see how you feel about it. Also…remember that this is strong–most instant coffee preparations ask for 1-2 tsp for a whole cup, this is about 1.5-3.0x that per drink.

Coffee truly brings people together, and in a time where hangouts are now you’re either quarantined together 24/7 for at least 2 weeks or not and therefore using technology to stay in touch–it’s nice to see people ooh and ahh and challenge one another to make this treat! Seriously though, if conducting the challenge, arms beware. I tried it by hand at first and after maybe beat 100 (honestly more like 60…friends know I’m an arm wimp) I dug out the electric mixer.

Fun Fact: Dalgona (달고나) is a Korean candy made from sugar and baking soda with occasional patterns pressed into it. Other names for the candy itself is called honeycomb toffee or hokey pokey. Makes you wonder how trendy it’d be if we called it Hokey Pokey Coffee huh? Just me?

Stay Hungry!

[Don’t worry, I’m still working on my trip food and travel posts! Just some days I’m at a computer too often to blog after work. And you probably don’t enjoy my caffeinated rants as much as I do–ahem like this post.]