Fancy a coffee ?.

Owing to Covid, it seems a long time ago since we last had the luxury of meeting for a coffee” , but seldom do we ever think of coffee as being a luxury !..  

Once upon a time coffee was a luxury item, and today it is a world commodity second only to oil worth over 100 billion dollars in the global economy!.

 Names like cappuccino , espresso and latte have become part of our everyday language, but it may surprise many to learn that there are 6,000+ species of the coffee plant split into 25 major types with just two species that dominate commercial production. These two are known as Arabica and Robusta.

In brief Arabica can be drunk pure or alternatively in blends with Robusta where it contributes acidity and body, whilst Robusta is a hardier bush that grows from sea level to 800 meters predominantly in West and Central Africa, Asia and South America and is more strongly flavoured than Arabica, giving body and "kick".

Then to add to the complexity of this beverage, there is the roasting process that adds strength, aroma and flavour.

 Historically It was said that coffee was discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia in the 1500s. He saw his goats eating coffee cherries. Afterwards, he observed a change in their behaviour as they gained a high amount of energy and didn’t sleep at night. The herder shared his findings with local monks who made a drink with coffee beans, realizing that they could use the beans to stay up all night to pray.

The word rapidly spread to other Ethiopian monks before being released to the civilized world.

Coffee eventually arrived in Turkey where the locals embraced coffee like no other, enjoying it dark and powerfully strong, deep aroma and consistency !. If you are a latte drinker or faint hearted then this may not be for you, as one Turkish coffee is enough to keep any monastery awake all week let alone all night !.

In Turkey there is an old saying, that “a cup of coffee will be remembered for 40 years” and whilst this odd little proverb says much about the important role coffee plays in Turkish social life it carries a deep meaning.

The saying basically refers to the fact that if any two people have brewed or enjoyed a Turkish coffee together, even if they go forty years without seeing one another again, the memory of that happy occasion will still constitute a strong symbol of their special connection.

Strangely enough I can remember my cups of coffee in turkey and the very people I shared them with some 10 years ago now, so there may be some truth attached.

I remember how my Turkish hosts love to read the sludge of coffee found at the bottom of my cup, tipping it onto a saucer and reading my future from the images and shapes it left behind!. Most of them predicting that I may have difficulty in sleeping at night surprisingly !!.

In 2013, Turkish coffee entered the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and true aficionados won’t even get up from their lunch or dinner table without capping off the meal with a cup served from a traditional copper pot that has been heated slowly over burning charcoals.

 Whilst there, I developed a particular fondness for Turkish delight (also known as Lokum) that is often served with it, adding an important little sweetness to the gustatory experience, turning the whole occasion of taking coffee into something quite delectable.

Meanwhile in the UK, Queens of Mayfair, London is home to a batch of Ethiopian “Cup of Excellence” Queens Coffee and is exclusively serving rare beans which retail for up to ￡2,000 per kilogram.

The coffee is graded a 94/95 and has undergone rigorous testing, expertly weighed to the gram, ground by hand and then brewed in a v60 filter, before being enjoyed in a crystal wine glass and yours for a mere ￡50 a brew !.

On that note, I leave you with my recipe , incorporating coffee of course !

Until next month keep safe.

 WHITE CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU WITH CARDAMOM COFFEE

 This dish is all about flavour , texture and temperature. You have the cool creamy richness of the chocolate mascarpone then you have hot bitter coffee melting into the decadent cream. A delicious combination shows that a simple combination can make a big impression. You can even serve it in a crystal glass and pretend your at Queens in Mayfair !!!

 Serves 4

 For the tiramisu

·        200 g white chocolate, broken into pieces

·        3 fresh free range medium sized eggs separated

·        30 g caster sugar

·        500 g Mascarpone

·        200 g Sponge fingers or madeira cakes broken into small pieces

For the cardamom coffee

·        350 ml strong black coffee

·        75 ml Brandy

·        ? tsp ground cardamom

 METHOD

1.     Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave on one side to cool - it shouldn't set though. 

2. Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and stir until smooth. 

3. In a clean fat free bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. 

4. Gently but quickly stir the melted chocolate into the mascarpone mixture and using a metal spoon fold in the whisked egg whites until fully incorporated. 

5. Place the sponge fingers or cake at the base of four serving glasses and top with the mascarpone mixture, filling just over half way up the glasses leaving a good 3 cm space for the coffee before

Transferring to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or until lightly set. 

6. Just before serving, make 4 espresso cups of strong fresh coffee and flavour with the brandy and cardamom. 

7.When ready to serve remove the desserts from the fridge and pour over the hot coffee - it will soak through the mascarpone and sink to the biscuit base. Serve straight away.