Better Latte Than Never!
“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” [TS Eliot]
I never would have gotten through the last quarter of 2020 and the months that’ve followed, without my one true love: coffee. Seriously, I bean it. A friend gifted me Blue Tokai’s mixed bag of coffee last October, and I got hooked (again, i.e.)! The next thing I knew, I was experimenting as much as I could on different flavours, temperatures, ingredients, and what not. Here’s a short list of things I’ve tried and ones that I’ve nailed:
BLACK. Okay, I take no credits for this one. Although… Blue Tokai’s website did teach me how to arrive at that perfect black coffee using two tablespoons of channi coffee (per person), one cup of boiling hot water and five long, long, LONG minutes of… letting it brew. After that, please use a channi / strainer to strain the coffee into a cup. So brew-tiful, and best for cold wintry evenings.
ESPRESSO WITH HONEY. Or vanilla. Or caramel. Or even cinnamon. I am yet to try black coffee with maple syrup though. I feel sweeteners are great, but what’s espresso-ly important is to get the coffee to water ratio right. And ideally not overshadow it with other additions.
LATTE. This, I’ve learnt from my mom. The tactic is pretty much the same as chai. You add one cup water, half cup milk and two spoons of coffee powder into a saucepan one by one, at regular intervals. And meanwhile, you can play with the temperature setting! You know, just for the kicks. :p I’ve also made variations of this such as:
CINNAMON LATTE. Just add cinnamon to the above. I prefer a raw cinnamon stick that I can remove later instead of cinnamon powder.
CHOCO LATTE. More on this later, but yes, sometimes, I do cut chocolate pieces to put into the saucepan along with boiling water. Not the best method, I’d say. Also, NEVER put chocolate protein powder or peanut butter directly into the pan — I did and on both the occasions, I considered labeling myself ‘moron’ on my forehead. Seriously. Stupid ideas!
BLUE TEA & ESPRESSO. Essentially, the idea here is to first make butterfly pea flower latte, then to add a layer of thick, condensed milk, and on top, your regular espresso. Since I avoid condensed milk because of its high sugar content, I have, I’ll admit, made some variant of blue tea + espresso mix with vanilla. Not bad, though not ideal either.
Speaking of condensed milk, VIETNAMESE LATTE using Sleepy Owl coffee and Nestle Milkmaid condensed milk is really good too. I haven’t tried this in a while, but, you know, fond memories last long.
On to the better stuff…
Okay, I understand ‘better’ is subjective, but man, I have made some great, GREAT cold coffee using Davidoff and Country Bean instant coffee products, and like Pavlov’s dog, I get excited the moment my clock strikes 5 pm and I can make coffee again. Before I get to the main stuff, may I suggest you try making coffee ice cubes by freezing espresso on your ice tray, especially if you enjoy sipping your coffee slowly, or prefer a tall glass of iced coffee (I know I like big mugs and I cannot lie!). The Internet does not kid when it calls espresso ice cubes a game changer!
MOCHA. I am a chocoholic and I enjoy chocolate in my coffee always. I buy different kinds of chocolates (Mason & Co, Amul), experiment with different chocolate powders (Christopher Cocoa, Cadbury Cocoa, Weikfield Drinking Chocolate, Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Protein Whey Isolate) and never, ever use chocolate syrups. Yeah, if you use chocolate syrups, then this blog post is not for you. Otherwise, for chocolates, I make sure it’s melted properly, and for chocolate powder, I add a little water and give it a good, long stir (no shaken business here, Bond!). I like to add coffee powder first, a little water, then the chocolate powder, some more water, and when things are finally sorted, I add milk. Sometimes, accompanied by caramel or vanilla essence. I also experiment with other ingredients to make:
SALTED VANILLA MOCHA. Sea salt. Vanilla. And your regular mocha prep. Or,
HONEY / CARAMEL / VANILLA LATTE. Just milk, coffee and some honey, caramel or vanilla (don’t put all please!). Sometimes hot, preferably iced! Vanilla, I feel, brings out the best in milky coffee. Lavender works too if you are the type to like mild, aromatic undertones in your coffee.
Like most people, yes, I also do make cold coffee using a blender (especially if I want to add protein powder or peanut butter), but it’s not my usual choice, given I am not big into froth. In that sense, you can say I prefer iced coffee more than your regular cold coffee. Another thing to note is that some instant coffee products go with most smoothies, so sometimes, I add coffee to my smoothies as well. Makes for a delightful breakfast! What I cannot stand in my coffee is whipped cream. Or sugar. I feel it takes away the essence of le café. No, I don’t give a frappe if you think otherwise!
Last point: If you are using products such as flavoured roasted coffee (like Cohoma French Vanilla) or Country Bean, just follow the instructions step by step. Have it black, if so instructed. Don’t ruin a carefully crafted product with unnecessary things. Alright, now, I am done with the unsolicited advice!
May your coffee be strong and your Mondays be short.
Java g(f)ood day!