“Coffee is hip. The long queues at the coffee corners on campus prove it. But what is tasty? WIN asked student and barista Marije and other coffee junkies.”
“To be honest, before I worked in the coffee shop I had never drunk coffee, I didn’t care for it much either,” admits journalism student Marije. “But through my work at lunch café Metro, I got to know and appreciate coffee. I now drink about five to six cups a day. Yes, you could call that an addiction,” laughs Marije. “But I love that caffeine in the morning, although I am spoiled because we roast our coffee fresh ourselves.”
Trends
According to coffee blogs, 2024 promises ‘innovation and adventure in every coffee cup’. Yes, the world of coffee is constantly changing: from new blends, roasts and sustainable coffee beans to all kinds of syrups, milk variants and flavors. For a ‘normal’ enthusiast it is as clear as coffee grounds and you might wonder whether all the trends defeat the purpose of ‘just having a nice coffee’.
“Metro does not participate in specific coffee trends,” explains Metro owner Johan Hoogendoorn. “Because it is mainly a matter of sitting down for a cup of coffee. Guests who come here are mainly day trippers visiting Harderwijk and older people who want to drink a cup of coffee in peace. We often receive compliments that the coffee tastes very good; because Since many coffee shops have an automatic coffee machine, I wanted to offer a distinction and roast my own coffee. Our current coffee bean range consists of Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia, Peru and Honduras. I hear most from guests that the coffee is a lot stronger & richer in taste is, for example, a coffee machine at home. I previously worked in a shop where we threw the coffee beans into a machine and I notice that freshly roasted coffee is a bit stronger. I think current trends are mainly followed by a younger audience.”
To choose consciously
Pea milk and matcha latte, Marije also notices that the wishes and choices of mainly young coffee drinkers are changing. “Yes, more and more coffee and milk alternatives are coming onto the market. But Metro has a fairly classic coffee menu. I serve cortado; the well-known black coffee, caffé latte and different types of espresso and lattes. The cappuccino is by far the most popular, and rightly so in my opinion! When I’m sitting on a terrace myself, I prefer to order it. A little strong coffee in combination with the milk foam layer is just perfect to start your day quietly. What I wouldn’t recommend is the espresso con Pana; that is a small cup of strong coffee with a thick dot of whipped cream on top. That combination is far too fatty and powerful for my taste.”
Syrups
We also sometimes serve coffee with whipped cream and syrups that can also be found at Windesheim. That can be very tasty, but it is intensely sweet. In fact, you are more likely to drink a very tasty dessert than a coffee.
When the weather is nice, iced coffees are a must. As soon as the sun starts to shine and we open our terrace, young people also know where to find us. In terms of coffee choice, it strikes me that young people in particular are completely into ice. I think they think the combination of an espresso shot with ice cubes is chill.
Metro is not so ‘randstad fancy’ that guests have to explicitly ask for cow milk for a cappuccino. But we do offer lactose-free alternatives on the menu such as oat milk and soy milk. I think it is a good development that there are more options in milk variants so that visitors with a lactose allergy also have something to choose from. I also increasingly see guests who do not want to drink cow milk for reasons of principle. But, I think a cappuccino with cow milk is a lot better than plant-based milk variants. Plant-based milk just doesn’t foam well. You’re missing something.”
Text: Marije Kruithof and Reinhilde van Aalderen
Photos: Jasper van Overbeek
What is your favorite coffee to-go?
“I don’t drink coffee that often, but I do drink hot chocolate. Coffee makes me bounce and I don’t like that throughout the day. My preference goes to a sweeter drink.”
Marsha, Nursing
“My favorite types of coffee are a latte macchiato and an espresso. An espresso has a slightly intense and wild taste.”
Piotr, Security engineering
“I drink cappuccino, but only with soy or oat milk because I am vegan. I used to drink a latte macchiato more often, but now I think it’s too much milk.”
Julia, Global Project and Change Management
“I always go for a delicious cappuccino from the vending machine at school, because it is nice and cheap. I like black coffee, but a cappuccino is just a bit more luxurious.”
Rikke, Teacher Education in Geography
“I prefer to drink coffee with a little sugar! I drink it at least five times throughout the day, mainly to stay awake.”
Rosanne, Educational Theory
“You can buy many trendy coffees at the Windesheim coffee corner, but I think they are all too sweet. If I do order something, it’s a cappuccino.”
Survi, Entrepreneurship & Retail Management
Top 5 most ordered coffees on campus café’s
Coffee corner at the X- and T-building:
1 Cappuccino (Espresso with foamed milk)
2 Black coffee
3 Smooth Caramel (Cappuccino, caramel-syrup, whipped cream and caramel sauce)
4 White Delight (Black coffee, white chocolate sauce, whipped cream and white chocolate flakes)
Coffee corner C-cantine:
1 Cappuccino
2 Latte macchiato (A glass of foamed milk with one espresso shot)
3 Smooth Caramel (Cappuccino, caramel-syrup, whipped cream and caramel sauce)
4 Honey Buzz (Latte macchiato with honey-syrup)
5 Café Noisette (Cappuccino with hazelnut-syrup, whipped cream and nougatine)
Grand Café / Starbucks:
1 Caramel macchiato (Latte macchiato with caramel)
2 Cappuccino
3 Mocca (Mix of black coffee and chocolate)
4 Chai tea (A spicy tea, originally from India)
5 Hot chocolate (Perfect for sweet lovers during winter!)
