Raf: Russia’s Favourite Coffee
This is how one man’s love for a milky coffee spawned a thousand variations, giving Russia one of its most famous drinks.
Many countries and regions have long-standing histories with a signature coffee-based drink. Often, these associations are romanticised and are as much the result of great storytelling as they are fact. Take the origin of the Nordfriesland speciality Der Pharisaer as an example.
However, the tale surrounding the birth of Russia’s favoured coffee, the Raf, is far more mundane.
Yet despite being grounded in the monotony of everyday life, it is a romantic tale of personality and popularity.
The man credited with ‘creating’ the Raf is Rafael Timberbaev.
A frequent visitor at his local coffee shop, Rafael preferred his coffee with milk. Therefore, one day, he decided to ask for a ‘good cup of coffee with milk’.
The barista on duty that day rose to the challenge. Given scope to play around with ingredients, they added some cream and sugar to an espresso before steaming the concoction. With a simple scoop, shake and steam, a masterpiece of Russian coffee came into existence.
Timberbaev started to order the drink on a regular basis and soon, other people began to follow. Capitalising on the interest, the coffee shop’s managers quickly added Rafael’s tipple of choice to their menu, christening it ‘the Raf’.
How to make a Raf
You’ll need
- One shot of espresso
- Cream
- One teaspoon of sugar
- One teaspoon of vanilla-flavoured sugar
- Or, one shot of Vanilla syrup
Method
- Pour the espresso into a pitcher
- Add the cream
- Stir in the sugars (or sugar and syrup)
- Steam until glossy in texture
- Serve in a latte glass
However, the story does not end there.
Baristas started to take the Raf and add some individuality to it. Legend has it that at some point, vanilla-flavoured sugar as added to the mix.
With its pleasing, yet neutral taste, the Raf became a further canvas for creativity. Now, wherever you go in Russia – and in some cases, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic – you can find regional variations on the quintessentially Russian drink.