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Espresso Enthusiasts
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Had a dreadful cold since Wednesday (sore throat, runny nose, cough. Horrible at night) and today I feel the tide gradually turning. Feeling more “my self” and so enjoying my first nice coffee since Wednesday. A brew made in a French press with some nice beans from Honduras, served with a dash of full fat organic milk. Lovely.
Enjoy.
I am slowly recovering from a really nasty bout of bronchitis, so I do sympathise.
Enjoyed a large mug of Cuban style coffee, whipped sugar and all. I'm taking a couple days off due to the current slow period and working from home. Plus side is I'll be with the kids and I can get some stuff in I've been putting off.
And about to make another mug of Cuban style coffee, whipped sugar and all.
On the sickness: I spent weeks not drinking coffee, and then did, and it made me worse. Surprisingly, my symptoms cleared up within 48 hours of coming down with another illness and that disappeared. Hurray for double illness? The only side effect I'm dealing with is a lack of taste. Sense of smell is there, but I have trouble with taste. It's slowly coming back, but it's rather annoying. On the bright side, I'm slowly going through some high IBU beers I've had laying around and not something any company we have over is willing to drink or take. It all tastes sweet or lightly bitter to me.
And about to make another mug of Cuban style coffee, whipped sugar and all.
On the sickness: I spent weeks not drinking coffee, and then did, and it made me worse. Surprisingly, my symptoms cleared up within 48 hours of coming down with another illness and that disappeared. Hurray for double illness? The only side effect I'm dealing with is a lack of taste. Sense of smell is there, but I have trouble with taste. It's slowly coming back, but it's rather annoying. On the bright side, I'm slowly going through some high IBU beers I've had laying around and not something any company we have over is willing to drink or take. It all tastes sweet or lightly bitter to me.
Well, I had bronchitis (still shaking it off) and the flu when I was home on leave and yes, my appetite (and sense of taste) pretty much abandoned me. It is only in the past week - three weeks after I first fell ill with this malady/these maladies - that my sense of taste (and indeed, vestiges of appetite) returned to me.
The fact that I have been offered tempting French cuisine cannot but have helped this process of recuperation and recovery.
Oh, and on topic: Enjoyed my genuine coffee this morning.
An aside: Coffee with whipped sugar is delicious; this is one of the nicest ways to prepare coffee with a Bialetti moka pot.
Likewise, my appetite is only just returning. I've ate more in the last two days than I have since just before Christmas. Cassoulet over the weekend and this morning I had a strange craving for roschti with extra salt and butter. Coupled with 4 eggs. Which I made. I spent most of work eating between calls and speaking to employees. Quite frankly, I'm still hungry now despite having a large dinner.
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Genuine coffee? Please don't tell me you've been drinking the word that must never be uttered?
Yes, it's quite delicious. I'm not sure if it's specifically a Cuban method. It's a bit labor intensive. I use a small fork once I've got the sugar soaked with a teaspoon or so of the coffee. Makes whipping easier and to incorporate the air. I use a very small bowl I can cup in one hand to whip the sugar in. Though a small whisk would work, too, provided you can find one the size of half your fist.
Because of how much sugar it as in it, I only make this 2-3 time a year. I have no idea how Cubans (or any culture) can consume so many of these "shots" daily with all that sugar in each cup.
Cassoulet sounds delicious.
No, never. Never, never, never.
I drink water in preference to that ghastly abomination.
But the coffee pot had ben drained by the time I appeared for breakfast this morning, which meant that I had to request that a fresh pot be prepared. Mainly for me.
A little extravagant, but I like my coffee, especially in the morning.
Some years ago, tiny - exceedingly elegant - whisks came with a few lovely but rather outsize cappuccino cups that I bought; I find them handy for such tasks. And also for when I prepare French dressings.
I have seen Italians (Italian colleagues) use this whipped sugar method when preparing espresso - indeed, this was where I first came across this method of serving espresso or coffee.
Yes. At the cost of it being sweet, it provides a faux crema. Bialetti does make a crema making machine called a Brikka. Which does provide an actual crema through some unique engineering.
I just enjoyed my cup of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chocolate coconut latte.
I'm still an espresso barbarian I guess.
I'm still an espresso barbarian I guess.
But what a delicious faux crema. And, at times, I must admit that this sweetness can appeal.
It can curb some harshness that the moka brings out, yes. I think we're speaking of two different sweetness levels here. The Cuban style uses 2-3 tbsp of castor sugar per shot, it seems. However, by whipping the sugar with a bit of the initial drip, it causes the sweetness to balance out. In other words, it tastes different (to me) than if you dumped 2-3 tbsp of sugar and stirred it into a shot.
In any case, both approaches are better than the currently, but slowly outgoing model of torrefecto in Spain. Great in rare bursts, awful when you consider people drink it daily.
Thoroughly enjoyed a tasty espresso.
No, we're not talking about two different things - or levels of sweetness - at all.
I am the person who will "dump" (actually, I gently spoon the sugar, with a large silver teaspoon over a century old that my grandmother once had) two spoons of organic brown sugar into an espresso; however, the Italians I have seen prepare espresso with sugar do exactly what you have described.
But, in truth, the smooth, slightly sweet, clear and 'clean' coffees that I have increasingly come to appreciate, like and prefer from Africa (Kenyan, Ethiopian) don't usually need all that much sugar.
No, we're not talking about two different things - or levels of sweetness - at all.
I am the person who will "dump" (actually, I gently spoon the sugar, with a large silver teaspoon over a century old that my grandmother once had) two spoons of organic brown sugar into an espresso; however, the Italians I have seen prepare espresso with sugar do exactly what you have described.
But, in truth, the smooth, slightly sweet, clear and 'clean' coffees that I have increasingly come to appreciate, like and prefer from Africa (Kenyan, Ethiopian) don't usually need all that much sugar.
I'll take your word for it. I did the same tonight. Though I used a small wooden spoon and a rounder, smaller bowl. 4-5 teaspoons of castor sugar, enough initial pour to saturate and then slowly folded over before it melds a bit. Instead of the authentic technique, I chose to do a slap and fold method which seems to have incorporated air better. The faux crema was quite thick and hung onto the mug's inner side. I did taste the crema/foam alone after having some water. It's not sweet at all. If anything, it's bitter with just a hint of sweet shining through. I'm under the assumption getting the liquid from the initial pour means getting the most oils coming up, and thus incorporating it into the sugar with the air results in a crema but not a crema, thus the faux crema. I'd imagine the sugar provides structure in the same way it does in a classic meringue.
And that's enough midnight gastronomy for me.
And that's enough midnight gastronomy for me.
Oh yes and with Led Zeppelin playing in the background.
Stairway To Heaven?
If that is what is playing in the background to the savoured enjoyment of a cup of delicious Kenyan coffee, why, I can only applaud your taste.
Cafe au lait and then to the stores to pickup some ingredients and more coffee. I was about to have a cafe corretto until I remembered I had to be somewhere else.
Sweetened with vanilla sugar that's been sitting for weeks and has finally matured.
Sweetened with vanilla sugar that's been sitting for weeks and has finally matured.
Spanish espresso drink I picked up during my travels. At its core, it's equal amounts of espresso and hot, steamed milk. Describing a perfect one, is a very, very strong espresso (I prefer a double) with just enough dairy to cut through the initial taste of the espresso. It's a little easier to drink on an empty stomach.
Much like an espresso cup, you can keep it in a room and it'll give off a beautiful scent for a short while. I was going to have it with an ameretti biscuit, which I thought I picked up today at the store, but it appears I forgot to actually place it in the cart. Which is a shame, because that particular brand is extra hard and crunchy with a strong flavor. I hate the soft varieties.
Going back to the drink, the Spanish influenced Cubans came up with their own espresso (moka) drink. I forget the name but it's made in a large batch, about 300 ml, sweet and strong with some dairy. And meant to be shared with friends. Though I suppose if caffeine doesn't affect you much you can have the entire thing.
I had three double espressos yesterday evening after dinner and fell asleep like a baby at just past midnight. Excessive sugar keeps me up and feeling a smidge sick.
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