San Antonio Coffee

Starts with some piloncillo sugar. There’s a reason for this choice, the recipe for San Antonio Coffee is based on Cafe Cubano, “Cuban Coffee,” or “Cuban Espresso.” Name varies, with definition, but that’s basically espresso with teaspoon – or more – of raw sugar. See Capricorn.

In some circles, this is panela, raw sugar derived from sugarcane juice. Less refined. More flavor, but potentially uneven consistency.

So the Cafe Cubano is coffee that can be up to one-third brown sugar. My version, heavily localized, starts with that sugar cone, Piloncillo, which, the last one? I had to break it up with a hammer. No joke. Then grab a single chunk, whatever is the right size, and add that to the bottom of a coffee mug. Pour Chemex coffee over it. Keep adding coffee, but not stirring, so some of the heavier sugars form a tantalizing layer on the bottom.

Like the sugar itself, this is a very uneven flavor, but quite good.

My secret is two-fold, one being that raw sugar; and two, the “not stirring it” trick.

The namesake for this coffee is because it’s a combination of elements, derived from something about Cuban Coffee, but really, just something that I enjoy at home.

Prior to San Antonio, and made famous by the local BBQ chain, Sweet Tea with its heavy dose of sucrose, super-saturated, I didn’t use a sweetener.

Not sure it will catch on, but it’s worth a try, San Antonio Coffee.

The most alluring component, that delicious and fragrant raw sugar? It makes my San Antonio Coffee alternate in flavor as the various sugar comes each have distinctly different hues.

#Bexar