Coffee + Rum = YUM!!

I am a coffee kinda guy.... Yes it's true. From coffee "drinks"... be it Latte, Breve, Espresso Macchiato (Not the Starbucks kind), or a Dry Cappuccino. When "shee shee poo poo" coffee drinks are in short supply, there is always good old brewed coffee from Vacuum pot, French Press, or my old CorningWare "Drip-o-lator". But I was sorely lacking one essential item needed to produce home coffee goodness. No I don't mean one of those "POD" things either.

I am talking about a Moka pot. My problem was that not just any Moka pot would do, as I have an aversion to all things aluminum touching my food. This is one of those neurosis things that was instilled in me while I was growing up. Well, most Moka pots are, sadly, made of raw aluminum.

The reasoning behind my neurosis it that aluminum reacts to acids, and coffee can be very acidic, thus aluminum oxide is ending up in my coffee... YUCK! As a worshiper of the powers of the dark brew, I find this disconcerting. SO, no Moka pot for me...
That is, until I found this.......


Yes folks, all metal parts are stainless steel and the top pot is lead free glazed porcelain. It's like they were reading my mind when the made it... This makes me extremely happy, and to top it off, it was on the clearance shelf for 10 bucks. WOOO HOOO!!!

So, happily I left the store with said Moka pot, giddy with anticipation of my first divine brew at home... And let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious.... Very deep, rich, velvety, sultry and smooth.

Which brings me to dessert this evening, since dinner was leftovers. I made a Spanish Coffee… a delightful concoction of coffee, lime, caramelized sugar, Bacardi 151, Kahlua, some form of Triple sec and, best of all, FIRE!!!

Oh yes, there is a connection between the Y Chromosome and open flame. Don't laugh... It's Deep and it's Real...

For my triple sec this evening, I chose Cointreau, which is made from a combination of Bitter and Sweet orange, mainly because my supply of Gran Marnier (Bitter orange) is alarmingly low. Incidentally, generic "Triple Sec" is made from sweet oranges only.

I was first exposed to Spanish Coffe at a great place in Portland Oregon, called Huber's, where they are made at your table by your server in a "ballet" of high pours, snapping matches, flash, spark and flames… Quite the experience... and extremely delicious

Spanish Coffee alla Huber's

A Coffee Glass (8 oz, the glass is thick enough to withstand the heat)
Lime wedge
Granulated Sugar for rimming the glass
1 oz Bacardi 151 Rum
1/2 oz Gran Marnier, Cointreau or triple sec
Fire from a long match or a Bar spoon & a lighter - (At Huber's they tip the glass and do a 1 handed matchbook strike)
1 1/2 oz Kahlua
Freshly Ground Nutmeg
Coffee To Fill The Glass (strong)
Thickened (Not Whipped) Heavy or Light Cream

Brew your coffee, I use the Moka Pot because I like my coffee strong and want to actually taste it amid all the liquor.

Rub a wedge of lime lightly around the rim of a coffee glass.

Dip the rim in granulated sugar.

Add the 151 and Cointreau.

With a long match, carefully light the liqueurs (This can also be done with a bar spoon as well. Dip the spoon in liquor, light spoon then return spoon to glass)

Swirl the glass to melt the sugar on the rim (this takes about 30 seconds).

Sprinkle with Nutmeg (It sparks, it's cool)
Pour in the Kahlua and then add the coffee to within 3/4 inch of the rim.

Top with lightly beaten cream (Just enough to thicken it slightly)
Sprinkle with another pinch of nutmeg and garnish with the lime wedge that was rubbed on the glass.

Serve Immediately… Careful though, the rim is usually VERY hot…

Ah, Delicious…!! But potent… Please, drink responsibly.

Cin, Cin!
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