Coffee break!

[MexicoKaren]

I've come a little late to the party here, but just noticed this thread...Dina, we have alot in common. My hubby and I also love coffee, and a caramel macchiato is also my idea of bliss. Since we moved to Mexico a little over a year ago, I have been in heaven with the wonderful coffees available. Right now, we are using some beans that were grown and roasted in Compostela, about a hundred miles from us, by the Martinez family. It's carried by a little store here in Bucerias, and it is so good. Dark roasted, small beans, very flavorful. I can also buy Chiapas and Oaxacan coffee. There is no shortage of good coffee, and we brought our Starbucks burr grinder and espresso machine with us. For a refreshing summer drink, I brew up about 14 shots of espresso, sweeten it with lots of sugar and keep it in the refrigerator. Then, when we want an iced coffee, I start with 2 oz. of the espresso "syrup" and add milk. To make the syrup, I start with about 14oz of espresso and add 20 tsp. of sugar. I know this sounds like alot, but what you want is a syrup. You can cut back, or add flavorings if you like. But it really hits the spot. I just returned from China, where good coffee is hard to find, but I had lots of Nescafe, which is sold alreayd mixed with sugar and powdered creamer. Not bad.

Thanks for letting me join this discussion - Karen

 

[Dina]

Karen,
It's good to have you here. Welcome. I'm a big coffee drinker. We just returned from Hawaii (Oahu) and brought back some real Kona coffee and some Kona Hawaiian Cappuccino. We didn't have a Starbucks near our hotel but we did have a Kona Café nearby where they served us this coffee in a caramel macchiato style. We got hooked. That's all I use in my coffee grinder, make expresso, froth the milk and drizzle the caramel syrup. I've found that Hershey's Dulce de Leche is quite good in the coffee. Other suggestions on caramel syrups? Talk to you soon.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Thanks for the friendly welcome. Sounds like you had a nice time in Hawaii - I've never been there, and I have never had the pleasure of drinking real Kona coffee...do they roast it dark? The best coffee I have tasted here is from Compostela and is tiny little peaberry beans. It is not at all acidic, but has a very unique fragrance and taste. Mexico is hooked on caramel (cajeta), so there are many choices here for caramel syrup. Lots of shelf space in the grocery store...Hershey's Dulce de Leche seems popular. When I was still back in the states, I used to buy caramel in a can (Nestles) at the Mexican grocery. It is thick and gooey, very very tasty. If you really want to get decadent, you can eat it with a spoon! I used it for caramel macchiatos, but had to warm it up first to get it thin enough to pour. Hope everyone has a nice Saturday...be sure to include a good cup of coffee to make it bright!

 

[DarthSubterfuge]

I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to coffee. It's all pretty much the same in my view (ha ha). I will say that Dunkin' Donuts coffee is ridiculously overrated, which is very sad as even I think so as I worked there for over a year. I also do enjoy lattes to specifically respond to the original poster's other inquisitions.

 

[justplainbill]

Costa Rican Tarrazu Montecielo Whole Bean from
www.cafebritt.com

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I'm pretty new to DC as I'm trying to learn to cook but coffee - this is something I know a little about. At least, I drink lots of it! Here in Texas we have HEB grocery stores and they have a store brand called Cafe Ole. My favorite is the Taste of San Antonio flavor. It's a Mexican coffee and I swear, it's like dessert for me! A friend turned me onto this telling me that she was going to pour me a cup of the best coffee I've ever had. She poured it and then added some heavy whipping cream (unwhipped). I tried to stop her since I have always drunk my coffee black no sugar but she said "Trust me - this is the way to drink it!" Wow - I was hooked! I don't use the heavy cream now (except when I've had a really crappy day and want to feel spoiled) but even the Land O Lakes fat-free Half N Half tastes great in this coffee. Anyway, it was my first experience with Mexican beans and now I'm dying to try some others. Can you offer any suggestions, MexicoKaren? I buy whole beans and grind them fresh for every pot but I haven't as yet tried roasting them. I usually use a Bunn commercial drip brewer but I have a cheapie little espresso maker that I use when I have time and inclination so I'd be interested in suggestions for any type of beans or roasts.

 

[skilletlicker]

Anyway, it was my first experience with Mexican beans and now I'm dying to try some others. Can you offer any suggestions, MexicoKaren? I buy whole beans and grind them fresh for every pot but I haven't [highlight]as yet tried roasting them[/highlight].

As yet? Hmm.

Sweet Maria's is an online unroasted coffee bean vendor I can personally recomend from first hand experience. There is a tremendous amount of home roasting information there as well as very high quality beans from all over the world including Mexico.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Thanks SkilletLicker! I'll check this out. Do you have any favorite coffees you get from this site?

 

[skilletlicker]

What I'm drinking now is a Guatemalan bean that is no longer available. The specific beans available vary depending on the quality often taste tested by Sweet Maria's at the growing site. I've found their reviews and analysis to be very helpful. I'm also partial to peaberries because of the way I roast.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Peetes

I love this Peetes coffee, now if only I could have someone get up before I do and make it. It is called Major Dickason, Lance Armstrong is the one who mentioned he liked it and hence my preference. Not like the Folgers I normally drink.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Fisher's Mom, I'm right there with you on the heavy cream. A rare treat for me is a double shot of espresso with a hefty shot of cream. No sugar. Mmmmm. Here in Mexico, they grow coffee mainly in Chiapas and Oaxaca, as well as our home state of Nayarit. I don't think the coffee I buy from Compostela, Nayarit ever makes it out of the region. It is grown and roasted by a small cooperative of families and is sold locally. But here is a link to lots of information about Chiapas coffees, which are rich, dark and wonderful:
Café MAM ORGANIC COFFEE Welcome to the world of good coffee. It is very rewarding - I sure am glad I married a man who loves coffee as much as I do!

 

[Dina]

Thanks for the friendly welcome. Sounds like you had a nice time in Hawaii - I've never been there, and I have never had the pleasure of drinking real Kona coffee...do they roast it dark? The best coffee I have tasted here is from Compostela and is tiny little peaberry beans. It is not at all acidic, but has a very unique fragrance and taste. Mexico is hooked on caramel (cajeta), so there are many choices here for caramel syrup. Lots of shelf space in the grocery store...Hershey's Dulce de Leche seems popular. When I was still back in the states, I used to buy caramel in a can (Nestles) at the Mexican grocery. It is thick and gooey, very very tasty. If you really want to get decadent, you can eat it with a spoon! I used it for caramel macchiatos, but had to warm it up first to get it thin enough to pour. Hope everyone has a nice Saturday...be sure to include a good cup of coffee to make it bright!

Karen,
They do roast it dark in Hawaii. It's a bold coffee bean sold in varieties of 10% kona mixed with other coffees and 100% kona. It beats Starbucks for me anytime. Hey, I'll need to try cajeta again soon on my coffee. They have a variety of brands here at our grocery store (since we're 5 minutes from the Mexican border) we're bound to have lots of Mexican food items. Which would you recommend?