Say cheers to a camelicious cup of coffee

Dubai:  You could soon be having camel milk in your coffee or tea.

The popular Dallmayr office vending machines in Dubai will start serving hot beverages made with camel milk in around three months, according to Camelicious (Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products).

A Camelicious sales executive told XPRESS at the Middle East Coffee & Tea Convention on Tuesday that it will supply the milky option in the machines.

Camel milk has been drunk in Arab countries for centuries and recently started catching on with expats too. There's even camel milk ice cream and chocolates available in several shops in the UAE. Camel milk is believed to be less fatty and richer in minerals and vitamins than cow's milk.

The drink is also foamier and brings a slightly salty-sweet flavour when mixed with sugar in coffee or tea.

Some concoctions to perk you up

Some like it hot

Besides serving some of the world's most expensive and rarest brews, Canada's The Metropolitan Tea Company (TMTC) offers the Kama Sutra option to literally spice up your love life. Named after an ancient Indian sex guide, the brew is mixed with "hot spices and a secret proprietary blend" to get you going. "It's very popular," said TMTC tea master John Chaffey.

Bean there dung that

Coffee beans acquired from the dung of the civet, a cat-like mammal with a natural weakness for the beans, make the world's most expensive brew. A Thai company, Doi Chaang, with access to the rare variety said a single cup easily costs around Dh250 in parts of Asia and Europe. It is looking for importers in Dubai.