Coffee Ice-cream

Mmmm.... coffee ice-cream.  I'll admit, the first time I was told about coffee ice-cream I was pretty sceptical.  I mean, can coffee really be combined with the rich creamy goodness that is ice-cream??? Cold, thick, creamy coffee? That just didn't sound right.  But then I tried Haagen Dazs coffee ice-cream.  Yummy.  There is most definitely a strong coffee flavour but it's not at all over powering. The creamy sweetness reminds me almost of a sweetened caramel latte but better. I've been wondering what kind of desserts I can make with this ice-cream base and once again turned to Daniel Young. In his book, Coffee Love, Daniel recommends a Coffee Ice-Cream Soda.  Pour coffee syrup in a tall glass, add vanilla ice-cream, strir, add some club soda, stir again and top off with a nice big scoop of coffee ice-cream.

It should look something like this: (pic taken from Flickr) 

Yum!!!

Tea Time

tuesday.28.september.2010

Horror of horrors.... I think I've made more cups of tea this past week than cups of coffee!!! It just doesn't seem right.  However, my cups of tea have been pretty tasty in all fairness.  Let's see, we've had some Lipton, some Chai, some English Breakfast and some good old fashioned green tea (good for you but I'm still not sold on the taste).  Ah well, I'll just have to get around to making double the amount of coffee to make up!

Another lazy Sunday

Perhaps I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Husband and I did wake up before 6:00 am to take Sister-in-Law #1 to the airport. We were back in bed by 7:00 am and never saw the outside of our bedroom until after noon. I had lunch for breakfast and went back to bed. On the more productive side, we did get some exercise done thanks to the newly cleaned up Orbitrek. Now if I could just pry myself off the bed again and get into the kitchen to rustle up some evening cappuccinos!

The Dragon

saturday.25.september.2010

I still have yet to master the latte art rosetta. I’m sure this is mostly due to my lack of practice. Seriously, I just need to find some hours to dedicate to pulling shots, foaming milk and drawing hearts and rosettes! In the meanwhile, I’ve been drooling over professional latte art. Check out this Dragon from Montreal Café Art Java.

The Chorreador

friday.24.september.2010

Happy Republic Day Trinidad and Tobago. Yet another public holiday! I love it. Three holidays over the last four weeks but none in October :o( I’m sure we’ll find a way to survive.

Anyway, on to the coffee. Yesterday I mentioned Café Britt, which specializes in gourmet Costa Rican and Peruvian coffees. Today I figured I’d share with you a picture of an authentic Costa Rican coffee maker- The Costa Rican Chorreador. It’s essentially a wooden hanger and a sock-like cloth filter. I first came across the Chorreador on a website/ blog called “the kitchn”, which is where the first picture is taken from. The second picture is from a website called Travel Muse. 
Finely ground coffee is placed in the sack and hot water is poured in to mix with the grounds and gradually filter out. I imagine clean up is quite a pain! However, this traditional set up is still widely used in Costa Rica and in the homes of Costa Ricans globally.
 
 

Cafe Britt

thursday.23.september.2010

What an evening yesterday! Just as I thought I could start packing up to go home, the heavens opened up and torrential rains came flooding down. I’d love to say that that’s an exaggeration but between the lightening, thunder and flash flooding, it certainly is an accurate description. Faced with a very delayed commute home, Husband and I decided to kill some time at the Hyatt coffee shop/ bar while we waited for the traffic to ease up a bit.

Our barista was a lovely young lady who expertly handled the immaculately kept espresso machine. I couldn’t quite catch the name of the machine, though. Coffee beans were ground on demand, milk was professionally foamed and the machine wiped spotless at the end. Café Britt seems to be the coffee of choice at the Hyatt. Café Britt specializes in gourmet Costa Rican and Peruvian coffees. I had a latte so I didn’t get the true taste of the coffee. However, my latte was absolutely delicious. The crisp notes of the coffee cut right through the creamy milk indicating that the coffee was fresh and well prepared. I guess I’ll just have to go back again to try a regular brew!  

  

Coffee Date

Because clearly the world of single people and dating (at least as seen on Sex and the City) is not crazy and confusing enough, apparently your coffee can factor into this mix as well.   In a study commissioned by men's grooming company, AXE (yeah, the deodorant people), Manhattan women are more attracted to the scent of coffee than any other smell. Since the olfactory senses play a key role in human attraction, smelling like fresh java could actually increase a man's chances of getting a date with a New Yorker.

Hmm…. Whatever happened to freshly bathed, shaven and splashed with a bit of cologne?  I think I'll stick to my cappuccinos smelling of coffee and my men with a dash of Pleasures for Men!

Cocoa and Coffee Tasting

Last night I attended an "Exotic Evening of Cocoa and Coffee Tasting".  This was an event hosted by the Ministry of Tourism to raise awareness of the cocoa and coffee produced by a North Coast village called Brasso Seco.  I had originally expected the evening to feature different types of coffees and cocoas, but the display certainly did not disappoint.

Brasso Seco has been producing some of the finest cocoa for years.  Trinidad is actually home to some of the most delectable and feverishly sought after cocoa produce in the world.  Our cocoa industry, after many years suffering from disease and neglect, is finally on the rebound and the folks at Brasso Seco are doing their part to revive a very profitable and worthwhile trade.

Coffee production, on the other hand, is still relatively new.  Although there are plans to start cultivating Arabica beans soon, right now production is focused exclusively on Robusta beans. Roasting is still a relatively new endeavour as well and the producers have yet to start exploring varying roasting methods and specifications.  The preferred roast level seems to be medium dark but there were no 'burnt' or 'over roasted' notes detectable in the cup.  In fact, the coffee itself was quite full-bodied and flavourful with obvious chocolate notes and a smooth finish.

I'm looking forward to the further development of this fledging industry.  Hopefully the Arabica beans really aren't too far behind!

Stale Coffee

UGH!  It's time for new coffee.  So the odds and ends of the coffee I have left scattered around my kitchen are now well and truly stale.  Of course, some months ago I wouldn't even have known what a difference stale coffee makes.  But I have been edified and now have little tolerance for anything but the freshest!  I used up some beans this morning in the drip machine and was anything but impressed.  Milk and sugar were certainly needed!

Thankfully, I do have a pack of Waitrose in storage (thanks to our most recent English visitor) so I'll be breaking that out for tomorrow's cup! I must fnd some time to order a fresh batch.

Jasmine Tea

saturday.18.september.2010

I think it was Jasmine Tea… actually I have no idea what kind of tea it was.  I really will have to find out.  Last Saturday I attended a mini bridal shower for my friend whose traditional Chinese wedding was this Saturday.  I'd never been to a traditional Chinese wedding tea ceremony before so it was all very new, interesting and exciting. 

  Chinese Double Happiness Symbol

The morning started out quite hilariously with Husband, the Groom and their friends being put through a series of comical games and tests.  Comical for us girls to watch but maybe not so much for them!  Ah well, any groom worth his salt has to prove his devotion to his future wife- and what else are your old school buddies for if not to help you out in your time of need?!  Don't worry boys, we'll try to keep those pictures off of Facebook.

Once the girls were satisfied that the Groom had successfully passed his tests, and a small sum of money had been "negotiated" and passed on, we opened the doors to reveal the resplendent bride and her parents.  With the Bride and Groom reunited, the tea ceremony began.  The couple served each of the Bride's parents tea in beautiful, delicate teacups and received small red envelopes in exchange.  With only the Bride's parents present, the ceremony didn't take long at all. 

The whole party then packed up and headed to the Grooms home where the formal process was repeated with his parents and grandparents.  For this part the couple changed into traditional Chinese wear. Simply stunning!  I can't wait to see the professional photographs.

Lunch was served after the second tea ceremony.  Given that we were all off to the 12 course wedding dinner later that evening, we really should have gone light on the lunch.  But the food was just so good! 

With the benefit of a 3-4 hour intermission before the next segment, Husband and I returned home and had a nap!  Inspired by the mood of the day, upon waking up, our afternoon cappuccino was once again replaced- this time by a cup of tea, of course!

TGIF

friday.17.september.2010

The end of the week has at last arrived.  Thank God it's Friday!  What a better way to spend a Friday evening than having cocktails?  I've been mulling over the coffee based cocktails for a while now.  I'm still not sure I'd like to have my alcohol mixed with my espresso.  Take for instance the Espresso Martini that I mentioned a couple months ago.  It can be prepared as follows:

Ingredients:      
   1 1/2 oz vodka
   3/4 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
   1/4 oz white creme de cacao (or Baileys)
   1 oz cold espresso
Preparation:
Pour the vodka and Kahlua, creme de cacao and espresso into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with coffee beans and serve.

 

Espresso Martini!

I've been itching to try this drink but reluctant to invest in all the associated liqueurs.  I'd try it at a bar or something, but what would be the quality of the espresso?  Should I splurge on the cocktail paraphernalia or should I risk some sub-standard espresso? What a Friday conundrum!  TGIF folks!

Perfect Cup’s 100th Post!!!!

*Champagne corks popping*   or rather   *Silvia's boilers whirling*

It's Post 100!!!!! I can't believe I've written 100 of these little snippets already.  I certainly hope you guys are enjoying reading the blog as much as I've been enjoying writing.  There will be many more snippets to come as I have yet to master the perfect espresso or cappuccino.  It seems that every time I get one fabulous drink it takes several others before I can repeat the feat.  But the fun is most certainly in trying. 
I've been more fortunate in perfecting my French Press brewing technique and have produced some stunning black coffees, which were able to boldly stand on their own with no added flavour enhancers (milk and sugar). Apparently I've also been whetting the appetites of my family, friends and readers from across the globe: Canada, the United States, the UK, Japan, St. Lucia and right in Trinidad and Tobago.  Your comments and suggestions are most certainly appreciated.  I'd appreciate some fresh roasted beans from your respective countries as well, thanks  ;o)  Similarly, I look forward to preparing a fresh cuppa for you when we next meet.
Anyway, I compiled a short list of some of my favourite posts from this first 100.  It's a great catch up for those of you who weren't following from the beginning and a quick stroll down memory lane for those of you who've been here since May (oh so long ago).  Happy Reading!

                     

Silvia has arrived

Cappu-chinky???  

Manic

The Notary Public

Mobile Cup

Cocoa Tea

Esmeralda Tasted

By the way, who's coming over later to celebrate with some cappuccinos???!!!      

Cappuccinos or Lattes…

The Silvia was returned to use last evening, thanks in part to an impromptu visit from the parents.  Father Dearest usually does not pass up the offer of a Silvia made cappuccino.  Unfortunately for him, the milk didn’t quite get the required level of microfoam so his drink was more of a latte.  Husband’s drink fared much better, with some velvety microfoam that allowed for a slightly deformed heart.  Clearly my prolonged absence from Silvia’s side has resulted in some skill deterioration.  This will soon be remedied! 

Moka Pot Latte

monday.13.september.2010

I'm warming back up to the Silvia.  However, I decided to pay a little attention to the Moka Pot first.  I pulled out the Dean's Beans Italian Roast Espresso again (such a deliciously well-balanced blend), ground up the beans, filled up the Moka Pot and put her on the stove.  In another pot, I mixed together some full cream milk and some semi-skimmed (gotta watch that figure!)  I got the milk to a mild, foamy boil then poured it into the mugs.  Each mug was topped off with about 3 ounces of Moka Pot espresso.  Admittedly this was no Silvia processed cappuccino but it was still rich, foamy and delicious!

Blending

sunday.12.september.2010

I thought I would have had loads of time to catch up on my cappuccino practice over the long weekend, but I was wrong.  There was simply too much socializing and sleeping to catch up on as well! While I may not have entertained the Silvia over the weekend, I did try brewing up some different coffee bean blends.  I mixed a bit of the half and half, light and dark Full Moon with some of the Italian Espresso Roast.  What I got was a complex, extremely full-bodied, chocolaty brew.  For all its richness and intense flavour, the finish was still smooth with no hint of bitterness.

Massala Coffee

House of Jaipur was the site of today's afternoon coffee and my friend's mini bridal shower.  House of Jaipur is a beautiful little Indian store and teashop.  Guests can browse through gorgeous jewelry, clothes, home accessories, handbags and furniture before retiring to any one of several unique and eclectically decorated tea rooms.  HOJ offers a stunning variety of specialty teas and Indian appetizers and snacks.  I'd tried several of the teas before so decided to try the Masala Coffee this evening.  It was fabulous.  

This milky coffee is spiced with cardamom and clove, among other spices.   The milk wonderfully complements the coffee rather than detracts from the taste.  The spices come through in each and every sip but no one spice overpowers another. A wonderful alternative to a Saturday Silvia cappuccino!   

and We're Back!

I can't believe it's Friday already! Happy Eid to all my Muslim friends celebrating today. I love public holidays! Husband and I will be off for some tasty treats later this evening and will be having some sawine later instead of our cappuccinos.

'B' day has come and gone, so now my life has returned to some semblance of normality. Thank goodness! This morning I brewed up another fantastic batch of the Dean's Beans Full Moon to welcome the morning. (Well... technically it was to welcome the afternoon, as I didn't quite make it off the bed until 11:30).

I've got a long list of drinks I'd like to try over the next few days including some Vietnamese coffee, a Godiva inspired hazlenut surprise and another iced latte. Keep tuned!

Mmm… chocolate

Snickers, KitKat, Lindt, Oreos, Cadbury… I need to get back to regular working hours!  These coffee deprived late evenings and nights have forced me to consume untold amounts of chocolate calories.  Need to get a fix from somewhere, after all.  Two more days then it's back to normal. Poor Husband has been just as neglected as Silvia.  He's turned to the cakes.  Don't worry loves of my life… I'll be back soon.  Even if I'll also have to apportion time to my new best friend… the treadmill!

All done...

sunday.5.september.2010

Husband and I shared the last of the Esmeralda yesterday morning. So sad. Such precious few beans… such fantastic flavour. Maybe next year when it's in stock again we'll revisit the wonders of that Geisha bean.

Date Night

The Coffee Powers-that-Be worked a miracle last evening and arranged for me to get home by 5 p.m.  Wonder of wonders.  Being a loyal and atoning barista to my poor neglected Silvia, I went straight to work on the cappuccinos.  The Dean's Beans Italian Espresso Roast was pulled out and a chilled box of full cream milk was opened.  While Husband got a delicious soup boiling away, I warmed up Silvia and put the beans to grind.  Silvia's and my date night had been pushed up!

Such a darling machine.  I was rewarded with a near perfect double shot, which I split into two for the cappuccinos.  Even the Milk forces were with us.  I pulled out my 12 oz pitcher and got some beautiful foamy milk that helped produce two little hearts.

Oh Silvia, how I missed you!

Caffeine Content

As I continue in my battle against the budget numbers and as I see my home and bed less and less, I decided to look up which sources of caffeine provide the highest levels of stimulant.  Here's what I found:
A cup of drip brewed coffee has about 115 milligrams of caffeine, an espresso (and percolated coffee) about 80mg, while instant coffee has about 65mg of caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee is not totally caffeine free, containing about 3mg of caffeine. An 8oz can of Coca-Cola has about 23mg of caffeine, Pepsi Cola 25mg and Mountain Dew 36mg.  Tea has about 40mg of caffeine, while an ounce of chocolate contains about 20mg.

Data from: http://didyouknow.org/coffee/

Moral: Stick with my brewed coffee in the morning and eat more chocolate!

It’s a hard life… relatively

wednesday.1.september.2010

Since when did I start working long hours and weekends too?  I'm not sure my system can quite handle this shock.  Ah, the joys of working in Finance during Budget season. Thankfully "B" day is next Wednesday and all these tiresome fiscal policies, measures and numbers will be over. 

Poor Silvia must feel like an abandoned child right about now.  I haven't pulled a single shot in over a week!  My mornings have been too rushed to dedicate the time and care necessary to produce yummy espresso; and my nights have been… well… good only for a quick shower and bed!  I've even turned to Pepsi for afternoon caffeine pick-me-ups… sad… especially as I prefer Coke. Oh well.

Don't worry Silvia… September 8th … you and me have a date!