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New Ways To Keep Warm And Enjoy Your Caffeine Fix
True coffee lovers will be loath to go without their caffeine fix all year round, but winter brings a level of cold that so often can only be fixed by a good cup of hot coffee. For most coffee lovers though, there’s nothing like the speciality coffee drink ordered from your favourite barista and often, the ordinary cup you brew at home falls drastically short of the professional cuppa. However, we’ve got some great new ways for you to enjoy your coffee fix this winter, that will spice things up just enough to allow you to enjoy good coffee at home.
1. Dalgona Coffee
This was recently a big TikTok trend during first wave of lockdown but is an easy and playful way to enjoy a good cup of coffee.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons each of sugar, coffee, and water. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, vigorously whisk until mixture turns silky smooth and shiny, then continue whisking until it thickens and holds its lofty, foamy shape. (If whisking by hand, it will take 8 to 12 minutes to get to optimal fluffiness.)
Next, fill your glass most of the way with ice and milk, then dollop and swirl the whipped coffee mixture on top, mixing before drinking, if desired.
The beauty of the Dalgona Coffee is that it works well with both hot and cold milk, allowing you to enjoy it now in winter, or later in summer too.
2. Mexican Coffee (Café De Olla)
Café de Olla is a traditional Mexican coffee and is a sweet, spicy brew that is perfect for winter months. It is typically prepared in an earthen pot with ground coffee, cinnamon, and raw dark sugar called piloncillo.
In a medium saucepan, place 4 cups of water, half a stick of cinnamon, and 1/3 of a cup of brown sugar. Turn on the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved – usually for about 7 minutes. When the water starts boiling, add 4 tablespoons of ground coffee, turn the heat off and stir. Cover the pot and let steep for 5 minutes. Pour through a strainer to serve.
Milk can be added if desired, however it can take away from the sweet, spicy flavours of this winter coffee. If possible, try use a Mexican ground coffee for the perfect cup, although your favourite good brew will work well too.
3. Turkish Coffee
Another spicy coffee version, however, this one is a little more spice than sweet, but is a good alternative to syrup-flavoured drinks in winter. Whilst it tends to have different names throughout North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Turkish Coffee is traditionally prepared unfiltered with extra finely ground coffee and ground cardamom, and is typically drunk from small cups, once the powder has completely settled at the bottom.
First add water to a cezve or long-handled brass or copper pot – about 50mls per cup of coffee desired. Then add sugar to taste, stirring to blend it. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add a teaspoon of coffee per cup and spices as desired. Boil the coffee and then remove the cevze from the heat immediately after bringing to a first boil, discarding the accumulated foam, and mix well. The coffee is boiled twice in succession, taking care to remove the cezve from the heat between one boiling and the next. The foam can either be discarded or kept before stirring it well. Allow the remaining powder to settle before serving. A tablespoon of cold water can be added to the pot after boiling twice to accelerate the process.
4. Espresso Romano
The Espresso Romano is an interesting way of enjoying coffee, and many Italians have suggested that it emerged during World War II when water was scarce, and the lemon juice was used for sanitation in place of washing. Other sources indicate that Italians have long regarded the combination of lemon and espresso as a remedy for headaches.
Either way, this espresso drink is loved by Italians because the sourness of the lemon is thought to enhance the sweetness of the espresso, making it a delicious winter coffee fix.
Simply pull a single or double shot of espresso into a pre-warmed espresso cup and then rub the lemon slice around the lip of the glass. Make sure not to mix the lemon with the espresso at any point because the lemon juice will cause the crema to dissipate. Serve with the strip of lemon peel on the side.
NEW WAYS TO KEEP WARM AND ENJOY YOUR CAFFEINE FIX.
True coffee lovers will be loath to go without their caffeine fix all year round, but winter brings a level of cold that so often can only be fixed by a good cup of hot coffee. For most coffee lovers though, there’s nothing like the speciality coffee drink ordered from your favourite barista and often, the ordinary cup you brew at home falls drastically short of the professional cuppa. However, we’ve got some great new ways for you to enjoy your coffee fix this winter, that will spice things up just enough to allow you to enjoy good coffee at home.
1. Dalgona Coffee
This was recently a big TikTok trend during first wave of lockdown but is an easy and playful way to enjoy a good cup of coffee.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons each of sugar, coffee, and water. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, vigorously whisk until mixture turns silky smooth and shiny, then continue whisking until it thickens and holds its lofty, foamy shape. (If whisking by hand, it will take 8 to 12 minutes to get to optimal fluffiness.)
Next, fill your glass most of the way with ice and milk, then dollop and swirl the whipped coffee mixture on top, mixing before drinking, if desired.
The beauty of the Dalgona Coffee is that it works well with both hot and cold milk, allowing you to enjoy it now in winter, or later in summer too.
2. Mexican Coffee (Café De Olla)
Café de Olla is a traditional Mexican coffee and is a sweet, spicy brew that is perfect for winter months. It is typically prepared in an earthen pot with ground coffee, cinnamon, and raw dark sugar called piloncillo.
In a medium saucepan, place 4 cups of water, half a stick of cinnamon, and 1/3 of a cup of brown sugar. Turn on the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved – usually for about 7 minutes. When the water starts boiling, add 4 tablespoons of ground coffee, turn the heat off and stir. Cover the pot and let steep for 5 minutes. Pour through a strainer to serve.
Milk can be added if desired, however it can take away from the sweet, spicy flavours of this winter coffee. If possible, try use a Mexican ground coffee for the perfect cup, although your favourite good brew will work well too.
3. Turkish Coffee
Another spicy coffee version, however, this one is a little more spice than sweet, but is a good alternative to syrup-flavoured drinks in winter. Whilst it tends to have different names throughout North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Turkish Coffee is traditionally prepared unfiltered with extra finely ground coffee and ground cardamom, and is typically drunk from small cups, once the powder has completely settled at the bottom.
First add water to a cezve or long-handled brass or copper pot – about 50mls per cup of coffee desired. Then add sugar to taste, stirring to blend it. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add a teaspoon of coffee per cup and spices as desired. Boil the coffee and then remove the cevze from the heat immediately after bringing to a first boil, discarding the accumulated foam, and mix well. The coffee is boiled twice in succession, taking care to remove the cezve from the heat between one boiling and the next. The foam can either be discarded or kept before stirring it well. Allow the remaining powder to settle before serving. A tablespoon of cold water can be added to the pot after boiling twice to accelerate the process.
4. Espresso Romano
The Espresso Romano is an interesting way of enjoying coffee, and many Italians have suggested that it emerged during World War II when water was scarce, and the lemon juice was used for sanitation in place of washing. Other sources indicate that Italians have long regarded the combination of lemon and espresso as a remedy for headaches.
Either way, this espresso drink is loved by Italians because the sourness of the lemon is thought to enhance the sweetness of the espresso, making it a delicious winter coffee fix.
Simply pull a single or double shot of espresso into a pre-warmed espresso cup and then rub the lemon slice around the lip of the glass. Make sure not to mix the lemon with the espresso at any point because the lemon juice will cause the crema to dissipate. Serve with the strip of lemon peel on the side.will work well too.
