As you can tell from this blog, some of my happiest moments are on the road in Mexico. Driving over bumpy roads in search of beans or booze, I think I’m at my most content. Of course I am able to find a downside to most anything and for me in Mexico, it’s the coffee. Having lived in Italy during some formative years, my idea of a good cup at home is via a stovetop Moka. I use Peet’s Italian roast at grind 5, which they tell me is too coarse but I find that anything smaller clogs up my machine. A good Roman friend explained to me that “life is too bitter not to take sugar in the coffee” and I’ve taken his advice to heart.
After noon, I take my coffee black but for breakfast, I like it with warmed milk. Now in Mexico, the best coffee is cafe de olla, or pot coffee, made in a bulbous clay vessel just for coffee. It’s normally black with flavored with sugar and cinnamon. I’ve now taken to adding half a stick of our canela (Cinnamomum velum) to the warming milk. Canela has a softer bark and less astringent taste than commercial US cinnamon. I reuse this half stick throughout the week because I am cheap and there’s still plenty of flavor.
What I really love is this hot sweet brew with a really spicy Mexican breakfast. The coffee mingling with the chiles is weird and wonderful.
As far as I’m concerned, this is the perfect cup for breakfast. It’s also my very long-winded way of suggesting you add some canela to your milk if you heat it up for your morning brew, no matter what your technique for making coffee.
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I use a french press, and always add some brown sugar and cinnamon to the grinds. They really bring out the flavor in the coffee. I add warmed milk- never thought to simmer the cinnamon in the milk- great idea!
Keep up the awesome work~
Nothing beats natural, home-brewed coffee. I make it a point to have a cup of brewed coffee every morning. It gives me energy and keeps me awake during work hours. But I don’t drink too much, as excessive caffeine is harmful.