The Spirit World

Some time ago I promised to talk about Spanish Coffee and I’m finally getting to it! I first discovered coffee drinks in the very late 70s. I was camping on the Oregon Coast and, as often happens, a big storm came in. Although we were hardy campers we decided to grab a bit of respite by heading into Lincoln City for lunch. We came across a beachy looking bar - portholes for windows, weathered cedar siding - and took shelter. The place was nearly empty on that stormy weekend so we sat at the bar, ordered lunch and tried to decide on our beverage. The bartender recommended a Coffee Nudge. One sip and we were sold!

We spent the next several hours sampling through the bartender’s repertoire of coffee drinks; Mexican Coffee, Irish Coffee, Spanish Coffee and whatever else he was interested in pouring. From that time on we never went camping without our own supplies for coffee drinks - coffee, a box of assorted liqueurs and a can of whip cream. There is really nothing better than sitting by the campfire on a crispy night nursing a hot coffee drink!

Since that time I’ve come to realize that coffee drinks are kind of a regional thing. You can find them at many bars on the coasts but not as often in the heartland. There was a time when I traveled to Chicago on a regular basis and during the winter months I’d go in search of a comforting coffee drink, normally to end up disappointed. Finally, when the Cheesecake Factory moved into the lower level of the John Hancock building, coffee drinks became readily available.

Of all the coffee drinks, Spanish Coffee is still my favorite. I don’t always order them because they are a labor intensive drink so I check out how busy the bar and bartender are before ordering. In fact, I sometimes ask if they’d mind. The problem is that one Spanish Coffee often begets another. They are rather showy to make and will catch the eye of other patrons who then place their own orders! Some places have making Spanish Coffees down to an art. There’s an Italian restaurant in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Galeon, that has perfected the art of Spanish Coffee. (Think about that for a minute… Italian+Mexico=Spanish?) They make the coffee table side, dimming the lights and then pouring the flaming brandy from high overhead into the cup on your table. It’s really quite beautiful and something you will never see in the U.S. due to all the concerns of liability and lawsuits!

So this week’s Happy Hour at Home selection is the Spanish Coffee. There is flaming liquor involved but you can choose to skip that step if you desire. If you choose to use flame, please have a fire extinguisher nearby as flaming alcohol can be very dangerous if it happens to spill. If you have long hair, you may want to tie it back.

Along with our Spanish Coffee I’m going to recommend a plate of assorted salamis and cured meats. I know this might sound a bit odd but the yin-yang of the sweet coffee and salty meats works. In a recent article in Food and Wine they talked about a cured meat platter being a party cure-all and give you some tips on how to select your meats. If you happen to live in the Seattle area and can get your hands on Salumi’s Mole Salami that would be a very good choice!

Spanish Coffee

Sugar or a combination of Sugar and Cinnamon to rim glass
1 tbsp Bacardi 151
Cinnamon
1 oz Brandy
1 oz Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
4 oz of Coffee (regular or decaf)
Heavy cream, whipped until thick but not stiff

Rim glass* with sugar or sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Add the Bacardi 151 to the glass, tip the glass and light the rum. Immediately begin turning the glass so that the flame can melt the sugar around the rim. Continue turning until the sugar is caramelized.

Set the glass upright and shake in a bit of cinnamon. If your flame is still burning the cinnamon will spark a bit. Add the Brandy, Kahlua and Coffee. Gently pour whip cream on the top of the drink. Serve with a straw.

* Many types of glasses are used for this drink. I’ve seen them made in wine glasses, brandy snifters and clear glass coffee mugs. Use what you have on-hand but it should be glass and not crystal. For thinner glass, especially, keep the flame moving to ensure you don’t overheat the glass and break it.