Even the term Mexican coffee has a sense of holiday, sunshine and fun about it. You’d imagine. With Colombia just down the road, that Mexican coffees would be of the strong, full-bodied variety. Well, you’d be wrong. Read on.
Of the five million or so bags of coffee produced in Mexico, they consume just over half themselves before selling the rest on, mostly to the USA. Organic coffee is a Mexican speciality and, with most of their beans grown on small farms, you can be assured of a consistent quality without any of the mass-farming additives to dilute the taste.
Although the majority of their Arabica coffee beans are grown in the Vera Cruz region of Mexico, it’s the Altura farms in areas like Oaxaca that wow the taste buds of coffee aficionados. Why do you think they keep most of it for themselves?
Time For A Mexican Coffee Siesta
As with Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona coffee, altitude, the Altura, adds that extra ingredient not available in other coffee producing countries. In fact, coffee growing began in Mexico in the 19th century having come over from Jamaica so it’s not surprising that the bean is of such quality.
For a taste reminiscent of a nearby well-known island coffee, try a 100% Oaxaca Pluma coffee and note the smooth flavor, the light body and the slightest hint of nut. Maybe, even a whiff of chocolate in the aroma.
After a hard morning’s toil why not relax with this Mexican coffee recipe:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chocolate syrup (or 1/3 cup cocoa powder)
- 6 cups boiling water allowed to cool for three minutes
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup ground coffee beans (ground coarse for press pot) – Mexican preferably!
- whipped cream to garnish
Combine the milk, vanilla, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently whilst stirring together. Don’t let it boil.
Meanwhile, add the coffee grounds and cinnamon in a French press coffee maker and add the near boiled water to make coffee as usual.
Add the coffee to milk saucepan and mix together. Serve in cappuccino glass cups and add whipped cream and cinnamon sticks to garnish.
Then take the rest of the day off for a siesta.
