Specialty Coffee Site

If you’re tired of the same old desserts for the holidays, why not make a milk shake instead. This coffee milk shake is as yummy as it is fun to make and drink. It’s also a great way to use up leftover coffee from that morning.

For some extra holiday flair, add a splash of peppermint schnapps and / or add a candy cane to your finished shake.

Delicious Coffee Milk Shake

• 2 c Milk
• 2 tb Sugar
• 2 ts Instant coffee
• 3 tb Vanilla ice cream
• Strong coffee; cold

Add ingredients in blender in order given and mix at high speed for 5 minutes or until blended. Pour into frosted glass.

photo credit: rick

Tags: coffee milk shake

I don’t remember exactly when this started (probably sometime way back in the 60s), but for as long as I can remember, the adult members of my family have been indulging in a cup of Irish coffee after Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve. It’s a great way to warm up after being out in the cold. Here they are:

Irish Coffee

• 4 c Strong fresh coffee
• 1/4 c Sugar
• 1/2 c Irish whiskey
• 1 c Whipping cream
• 2 tb Sugar
• 2 tb Irish whiskey

Place 4 cups of strong fresh coffee in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of sugar, or to taste. Add 1/2 cup Irish Whiskey and heat thoroughly but do not boil. (Scotch, Bourbon or other whiskeys could be used.) Meanwhile whip 1 cup whipping cream until light. Beat in 2 tb each of sugar and Irish whiskey. Pour coffee into mugs or goblets and pipe or spoon flavored cream on top.

Creamy Irish Coffee

• 1/3 c Irish cream liqueur
• 1 1/2 c Freshly brewed coffee
• 1/4 c Heavy cream, slightly sweetened and whipped (optional)

Divide the liqueur and coffee among two mugs. Top with poufs of whipped cream if desired. Serve at once.

These are both great. I use the second any when I’m making just one or two cups and am in a hurry.

Tags: irish coffee, irish coffee recipe, irish coffee recipes

Today I have another great specialty coffee recipe for you. This one is for a danish coffee. It combines dark rum, cinnamon and cloves for a hardy cup of Joe that will warm up chilled bones on a cold night. Here’s the recipe.

Danish Coffee

• 8 c Hot coffee
• 1 c Dark rum
• 3/4 c Sugar
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 12 Cloves (whole)

In a very large heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients, cover and keep on low heat for about 2 hours. Serve in coffee mugs.

Once you have a cup of danish coffee, this will quickly become one of your favorite after dinner treats. My friends request it at dinner parties all the time. The flavors are strong and good. Take a sip and you can imagine sitting in Denmark on a cold winter day.

Tags: danish coffee

I love experimenting with different flavors of coffee this time of the year. Yesterday I made some coconut coffee as an afternoon treat after an exhausting Christmas shopping trip. (At least I’m all done now).

It turned out great and reminded me of those delicious coconut macaroons my grandma used to make. Here’s the recipe for the coconut coffee

Coconut Coffee

• 2 c Half-and-half
• 15 oz Can cream of coconut
• 4 c Hot brewed coffee
• Sweetened whipped cream

Bring half-and-half and cream of coconut to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in coffee.  Serve with sweetened whipped cream. Delicious!

Tags: coconut coffee

A few days ago I shared my recipe for alexander espresso with you. Today I’d like to introduce you to another favorite caffeinated after dinner drink of mine. This one is called Canadian Coffee. Here’s how you make it.

Canadian Coffee
1/4 c Maple syrup; pure
1/2 c Rye whiskey
3 c Coffee; hot, black, double strength

Topping:
3/4 c Whipping cream
4 ts Maple syrup; pure
Topping: Whip cream with maple syrup just up until soft mounds; set aside.
Divide maple syrup and whiskey among 4 warmed heatproof glass mugs or goblets. Pour in coffee to 1 inch of top; spoon topping over coffee.

Tags: canadian coffee recipe

If you really want to impress your dinner guests after a great meal, try serving them this Alexander espresso drink. Since it’s an espresso, it’s a fairly small drink, but the cinnamon and of course the brandy make it “fancy”. The drink is so yummy it can take the place of dessert, or you could of course serve it after.

Alexander Espresso

photo credit: andrew steinmetz
1 c Cold water
2 tb Ground espresso coffee
1/2 ea Cinnamon stick (3″ long)
4 ts Creme de cacao
2 ts Brandy
2 tb Whipping cream, chilled
1 ea Grated semisweet chocolate
Break out your espresso machine for this one or just make really strong coffee w/ a small amount of water. Break cinnamon stick into small pieces and add to hot espresso. Allow to cool for 1 minute. Add creme de cacao and brandy, and stir gently. Pour into cute demitasse cups. Whip the cream, and float some cream on top of each cup. For looks, garnish with grated chocolate or fancy chocolate curls. Multiply proportions by six and it’s perfect for a party.

Tags: alexander espresso, alexander espresso recipe

Hubby has been asking me what I want for Christmas and all I really want is a good espresso maker. Preferably one of those machines that also steams up milk. I just love the idea of waking up on a Sunday morning and being able to whip up a nice Cappuccino or Cafe Creme without having to leave the house. Yes, it would be an extra appliance sitting around the kitchen counter, but I think it would be well worth it and not having to run up to the coffee shop for my (almost) daily fix would quickly pay for the machine.

My dream machine is one of those heavy stainless steel ones that pressure steams the perfect cup of espresso, but honestly, I’d even settle for a cheap plastic model or even one of those old fashioned stove top peculators. Anything to get this delicious, aromatic black gold into a tiny cup.

photo credit: simone.brunozzi

And you have to love those little espresso cups. Just too cute and the perfect size for that quick afternoon pick-me-up. Caffeinated deliciousness!

Tags: espresso maker

My husband is from the south and love a good sausage gravy. It took me years to perfect making this southern specialty and I never could get the color and flavor just right. That is until one of hubby’s aunts shared her secret with me. The secret ingredient to good southern gravy is coffee… who knew. You can’t really taste it, and you just add a splash of it in with the milk, but it makes a world of difference.

It still amazes me how versatile coffee is. You can drink it, freeze it, cook with it etc.

Back to the sausage gravy though. Here’s how I make it.

Get a pack of good raw breakfast sausage. Jimmy Dean is ok, but my favorite by far is Neeses Sausage with extra sage.

You can make sausage patties and fry them up, or just sort of crumble it up like ground beef. Take the cooked sausage out, but leave all the fat and drippings in the pan. Add one or two large spoons of flour to the pan and turn down the heat. Move the flour around (it will turn into a thick paste) and just cook it for a few minutes. The longer you cook it the darker your gravy will be. Just be careful not to burn the four.

Next add a splash of coffee and some milk to the pan. Stir constantly and work out all the lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil. It will quickly thicken. When it has reached a good gravy like consistency, turn of the heat and fold the cooked sausage back in.

If you fried your sausage in patties, break them into chunks before returning the sausage to the gravy. Spoon over hot biscuits and of course serve with a good cup of coffee.

photo credit: Navin75

Tags: breakfast gravy, sausage gravy

I thought I’d share another great coffee recipe with you today. If you drink as much coffee as I do, you need a little variety in there every once in a while. Here’s one that gives you a bit of an exotic flair. It’s a strong, yet sweet coffee that will really wake you up. I love this as a quick afternoon pick-me-up.

Turkish Coffee Recipe

3/4 cup of water
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of pulverized Coffee
1 cardamom pod

1) Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan.

2) Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat.

3) Add the coffee and cardamom.

4) Stir well and return to heat.

5) When the coffee foams up – remove from the heat and let grounds settle.

6) Repeat twice more, pouring into cups – allowing the grounds to settle before drinking.

Tags: turkish coffee, turkish coffee recipe

Here’s another great specialty coffee recipe I like. It’s got a nice little kick to it and is really very simple to prepare. I love this one in the afternoon or at night. If you’re worried about not being able to sleep at night because of drinking coffee late, you can easily prepare this with decaf coffee.

Mexican Spiced Coffee

3/4 cup of brown sugar (firmly packed)
6 cloves
6 julienne slices of orange zest
3 cinnamon sticks
6 tablespoons of coffee (NOT instant)

1) In a large saucepan, heat six cups of water with the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves over moderately high heat until the mixture becomes hot. Make sure not to let the mixture boil.

2) Add the coffee, bringing the mixture to a boil.

3) Allow it to boil for three minutes, making sure to stir it on occasion.

4) Strain the coffee through a fine sieve and serve in coffee cups with orange zest.

Tags: mexican spiced coffee