Before roasters existed, coffee used to be toasted in ceramic plates and ground in hand mills or metates (a stone tool used to grind seeds and other ingredients) in small batches. Many small towns still prefer to hand grind their beans to prepare this aromatic spiced coffee.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 1/2 to 7 cups
Ingredients
6 cups water
1 large (6-inch) piece canela, broken into 2 or 3 pieces
2 whole cloves
3 ounces piloncillo, chopped, or 1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar plus 1 teaspoon molasses
1 strip orange zest, no pith (optional)
6 tablespoons freshly ground dark roast coffee
Preparation
Combine the water, canela, cloves, piloncillo, and zest in a clay pot or stainless steel pot and cook over medium heat until the piloncillo dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the ground coffee. Stir and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more without allowing it to come to a boil. Strain and serve.
Reprinted with permission from My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats © 2010 by Fany Gerson. Photographs by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
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