I think its important to experiment and try new things which is why I thought I would give you some suggestions utilizing coffee and tea in a way that is unconventional or maybe even unknown to some.

Enjoy!

Tea smoked Salmon

4 (4-6 oz portion) salmon fillet, center cut, skin off
1 cup mirin
1 cup water
2 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup ginger slices (peeled)
1 stalk lemon grass, cut up and crushed
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 teaspoon toasted Szechwan peppercorns
1 tablespoon sesame oil (or soybean if your allergy)

Smoking Mixture
1.5 cups long grain rice
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 cups oolong tea
1 piece aluminum foil
2 wet cloths

1. Mix the mirin, water, sugar and salt in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place salmon in a baking tray or hotel pan and cover with the mixture. Allow to marinate for at least an hour at room temperature.
3. Pull salmon from the brine and place on bamboo steamer.
4. Line a wok with the foil and place the rice on top together with the tea and the sugar. Mix well.
5. Turn on medium heat and when it starts to lightly smoke, place the salmon in the bamboo steamer on top, sealing surrounding areas with the cloths.
6. Cook for 15 minutes and take off the heat. Allow to rest 10 minutes longer for a medium temperature.

Note: I suggest you serve this warm over some mesclun greens, grilled scallions and yogurt dressing or with stir fried broccoli (with ginger and garlic) and rice.

Coffee Rub for grilled steak, pork, chicken or shrimp (great in skewers)

1/4 cup ancho or chipotle chile powder
1/4 cup finely ground espresso beans
2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground ginger
6-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons chili de arbol powder
vegetable oil (as needed and desired)

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Brush desired meat with some oil and cover with rub. Allow to absorb flavors wile you heat the grill.
3. Grill as usual.

Note: this rub goes very well with any king of fruit salsa or sweet sauce.

Earl grey Truffles

My husband and I made these for my father-in-law’s wedding and they were a hit! It is a recipe from one of my chefs at school that I’m sure you will enjoy. You may substitute the tea with any other fragrant loose tea.

2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and softened
1 tablespoon loose Earl Grey tea leaves
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
pinch salt
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1. Bring cream, salt and butter to a boil in a small heavy saucepan and stir in tea leaves. Remove from heat and let steep 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely grind or chop chocolate and place it in a heat resistant bowl.
3. Pour cream through a fine-mesh sieve onto chocolate, pressing on and discarding tea leaves and whisk until smooth. Chill the mixture (referred to as ganache), covered, until firm, about 2 hours.
4. Spoon, scoop or pipe the ganache onto a cooled, lined sheet tray. Put cocoa in a bowl.
5. Dust your hands lightly with the cocoa and roll each piece to a smooth ball, making sure to re dust with cocoa each time so they don’t stick.

Note: you may also dip these truffles in melted dark chocolate before they are rolled in the cocoa. These will hold for about a week in the refrigerator or a month in the freezer as long as they are kept in an air tight container with wax paper.

One of the greatest pleasures of growing up in Mexico was being surrounded by wonderful food all around you and everywhere you look..even when you???re not actually looking for it.

Perhaps most of my most vivid memories are those that are remembered through scents and aromas. My parents like most others, loved coffee and had it as a ritual for breakfast, after lunch (which is our main meal of the day and usually around 3:00pm) and at dinners. My sister Yael and I always wanted coffee ..you know???to be all grown up. At times we got some hot milk slightly tinted with coffee but to be honest we never liked it much.

What we really wanted was hot chocolate, the children???s coffee! Mexican hot chocolate is a truly delicious hot beverage that both kids and adults can enjoy.

Mexican chocolate is frothy, aromatic and usually served in a beautiful ceramic cup. It is found in markets, restaurants, and homes. There are ???coffeehouses??? that serve only three things: caf?? con lecher, hot chocolate and churros (a deep-fried dough tossed with cinnamon sugar)

Typically, Mexican chocolate is made by passing toasted cacao beans through the mill and passed through again with sugar, canela (Mexican cinnamon which has a very distinct flavor and isn???t spicy) and toasted almonds. The mixture is grainy and must be left to dry before using it since all these wonderful oils must solidify.

They are sold commercially and frequently in the form of disks or tablets but people in many cities and towns go to the mills to create their own blend.

It is usually mixed with warmed milk or water then frothed with a molinillo. (a wooden ???mixer???). While there are many hot chocolate beverages out there I encourage you to try this and enjoy it with your friends and family. It is a delightful addition to a brunch and another option to serve with coffee. If you???re having a Mexican or Latin fiesta I recommend making caf?? de olla together with it. Otherwise an Italian roast would be a good option. Either way, when you try it you should really do so with some warm churros. By the way, these are also great with a cappuccino!

Commercial brands readily available in the US are: Ibarra
& Abuelita. The directions are directly on the box but I personally double the amount of chocolate.

An interesting idea you can do is utilize the chocolate to make a very tasty coffee variation.

Coffee and Chocolate Recipe

8 cups water
2 small cinnamon sticks (Mexican canela if possible)
2 whole cloves or 4 anise seeds (depending on preference)
4 ounces dark brown sugar, or Piloncillo
1 oz Mexican chocolate (Abuelita or Ibarra)
4 ounces dark roasted ground coffee

Bring the water to a boil and add the rest of the ingredients except for the coffee. Bring to a boil once again and skim any foam if necessary.. Add the coffee and lower the heat. Allow to cook for 5 minutes longer and serve.

You may add a bit of frothed milk or whipped cream if desired and enjoy it with some warm churros as well.

Note - If you can???t find the ingredients needed at a specialty store you could find it at www. mexicangrocer.com

Churros

Cinnamon sugar
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (Mexican if you find it. You may grind canela since its easier to find.)

Whisk the 2 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.

Churro Batter
1/4 Cup whole milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
4 large eggs

3 cups canola oil (for frying)

Bring first 5 ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan, and stir until sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously with wooden spoon until shiny dough mass forms and pulls away from the sides, about 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl and cool 5-10 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next one and continue beating until smooth, shiny, sticky paste forms. (Can be made about 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat to about 350??F. Working in batches, spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe batter into hot oil in 3 1/2- to 4-inch-long ribbons (use knife or scissors to cut batter at end of star tip) and allow batter to slide into oil, being careful not to splatter. Fry churros until light brown (there shouldn???t be many bubbles remaining). Transfer with slotted spoon or ???spider??? to paper towels or brown paper bags (these are great for absorbing excess oil. Cool 5 minutes, then toss in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve warm with the hot chocolate and or coffee. Enjoy!

Contrary to what many believe, Afternoon tea may have been started by the French and not the British, according to the monthly newsletter called Tea Muse. It’s a little known fact that after its introduction to Europe in the 17th century tea was tremendously popular in France. It first arrived in Paris in 1636 (22 years before it appeared in England!) and quickly became popular among the aristocracy .

The ships that carried the tea from China and Japan to Europe also brought in, as part of their cargo, porcelain teapots, tea bowls and neat little jars for storing the tea. Like the new exotic drink, these attracted the attention of the rich who bought some for their own use at home. They were stored, not in the kitchens or dining room cupboards, but on shelves in the lady’s private closet - a small room near or next to her bedchamber where she received visitors and offered them some refreshment. From the 1660’s, that refreshment was usually tea.

According to legend, one of Queen Victoria???s ladies in waiting, the Duchess of Bedford was the ???creator??? of the afternoon teatime. Because there used to be two meals a day, she would start feeling faint at around four o clock in the afternoon. Her servants would sneak a hot pot of tea and some bread. Adopting the social aspect, already established in Europe, she invited friends to join her for an additional afternoon meal at around five at Belvoir Castle. The menu consisted of small cakes; breads butter sandwiches, sweets and tea. This pause in the day became a social event and during the 1880???s upper class women would dress in long gowns, gloves and hats and would gather around four or five o??? clock to enjoy an afternoon together. The Dutchess??? gatherings became so popular that other ladies of society began hosting similar afternoon teas. Although it began as a time in the day to satiate hunger it has become much more that that. It has become a social affair, a conversation gathering, a cultural ceremony.

Two distinct forms of tea service evolved: High and Low. It is common to believe that High Tea and Afternoon Tea are the same thing Social gatherings (usually ladies) would get together to drink tea, eat sweets and little sandwiches. Nevertheless these English ceremonies have been mimicked throughout time and the world. Dainty little social events, where one drank tea, ate sweets and little sandwiches.

Afternoon Tea is also called Low Tea, it was served in the ???low??? part of the afternoon in the homes of the wealthy and featured gourmet tidbits, emphasizing in presentation, service and conversation. Low Tea was typically taken in the sitting room, or a room with low tables(coffee tables) and sofas. Afternoon tea is probably the one that comes to mind when you think of English Tea.

There are three basic types of ???low tea???
Cream Tea ??? Tea, scones, jam and clotted cream
Light Tea ??? Tea, scones and sweets
Full Tea ??? Tea, savories, scones, sweets and dessert

Many people mistakenly use the term “High Tea” to describe the Afternoon Tea, probably because it sounds more regal. But High Tea or ???Meat Tea??? is much different. It was served later (around six in the evening) and consisted of a full, dinner meal for the common people. During the second half of the Victorian Period, known as the Industrial Revolution, working families would return home tired and exhausted. The table would be set with different kinds of food such as: meats, bread, butter, pickles, cheese, eggs and of course tea. None of the dainty finger sandwiches, scones and pastries of afternoon tea would be on the menu. Because it was eaten at a high, dining table rather than the low tea tables, hence the term “high” tea.

Note from the editor: This is part one in a two part series. Please stay tuned for part 2 - Creating your own Afternoon Tea

At home these beverages can also be quintessential after dinner drinks in a different way. Without the ???bells and whistles??? you can make fun and interesting combinations.

Here are a few recipes:

The Grasshopper
Good for the holidays or Saint Patrick???s Day

1/2 oz vanilla syrup
1/4 oz cr??me de Menthe
2 oz espresso
Whipped Cream
Crushed Spearmint Candies or chocolate shavings & Mint Leaves

Mix the espresso with the cr??me de menthe and syrup.
Pour into a cordial glass and top it with whipped cream. Sprinkle crushed candies or shavings and mint.

Frangelico Coffee
A simple brew that can add a unique touch to a birthday celebration.

Cinnamon Sugar
1 oz brandy
1 oz frangelico
Hot double strength brewed coffee
Whipped cream
Toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Moisten rim or a mug or glass with water or lemon and dip in the cinnamon sugar. Add the two liquors. Fill the glass with the hot coffee and top it with whipped cream and hazelnuts.

Caribbean Coffee
A real crowd pleaser! I like to serve this with any banana-based desserts. In fact it just occurred to me that this could be great with a scoop of banana ice cream???

1 oz Tia Maria or other coffee liquor
1 oz Jamaican rum (brown)
Sugar or simple syrup
2 oz espresso
Whipped cream
Chocolate covered coffee beans (optional)

Combine the liquors and sugar or syrup (to taste) in a small saucepan. Mix till the sugar is dissolved and add the espresso but be very careful that the liquor doesn???t flame up. You just want to warm it a little to enhance the flavors.

Pour into a mug or glass, top with whipped cream and garnish with the chocolate covered beans.

Caf?? D???amour
As the name indicates ???coffee of love??? this is a more complex drink. It is a tasty melding of spices. I encourage you to play around with them and omit some if you don???t like any of them. This is wonderful on a cold winter day or when you???re feeling a little under the weather.

1 1/4 oz cognac
5 oz hot black coffee
1/2 orange rind
1 cinnamon stick
1-2 cardamom pods
1 whole clove
1 tbs brown sugar
Candied orange (optional)

Rim a coffee cup with orange juice and sugar. Simmer coffee, zest, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and sugar (to taste) in a small saucepan. Heat and ignite cognac in a soup ladle, add to coffee, and extinguish. Strain into the cup, and serve. Garnish with candied zest if desired.

Iced Coffee Ice Cubes

I suggest you use an ice tray that is solely used for this purpose since the flavor is strong and can tint the plastic. You should fill the tray(s) with brewed coffee or espresso but I would avoid using any coffee from dark roasted beans. You may also freeze coffee mixed with cream for a lighter color. It looks pretty cool when the ice melts too!

These cubes can be used in any of the following iced beverages, a glass of seltzer or even iced tea.

Sweet Coffee

Iced coffee may be sweetened with any type of sugar. Many prefer to use superfine sugar as it will dissolve faster than most but I recommend using simple syrup. This is done by mixing a cup of granulated sugar with two cups of water and bringing them to a boil. It is stirred well and allowed to cool before using.

The simple syrup will last a long time in the refrigerator and can be served to sweeten iced tea and lemonade as well. If you???re having guests over, you can have some of the syrup served on the side and garnished with some fresh mint leaves. You can add spices to the syrup to make it more complex such as anise seeds, cinnamon, orange peel and juniper berries (my personal favorite to serve with fruit).

Sweet Coffee Variations:

Bubbles
People are very familiar with iced coffee. An interesting and simple variation is to make it with sparkling water. I suggest using espresso.

Spices
You can brew coffee with added spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and coriander. You must be careful to use these sparingly and to make sure to either use a paper filter or to have a separate filter specifically for this. It is always nice to finish this kind of coffee beverage with some milk or cream to balance the flavors and mouth feel.

Flavorings
Some of my suggestions to bring an iced coffee over the top but subtly include adding flavors such as vanilla extract, caramel syrup, condensed milk, almond/hazelnut extract, mint extract, bitter or dark chocolate sauce, berry syrup and of course any kind of ice cream.

(The following delicious recipe is by Sherri Johns.)

Classic Iced Caffe Mocha

Chocolate Syrup
2 Espressos (may be substituted with double strength coffee)
6 oz. Cold milk
1/2 cup coffee or regular ice cubes
Whipped Cream (optional)

Make doodles on the sides of pint glass with the chocolate syrup. Add espresso and mix thoroughly. Pour cold milk halfway and fill the rest of the glass to the top with ice.

Add whipped cream if desired and swirl with more syrup.

*Note ??? Be careful adding the cream once it???s stirred since it can separate into clumps.

Espresso Based Coffee Drinks

It is imperative to note that to make spectacular drinks, you’ve got to start with great tasting, high quality fresh coffee. No amount of sugar, milk, syrups or other flavorings will hide a poor tasting base. Therefore no good espresso based drink will ever be good if it doesn???t begin with a perfect espresso. The only way to ensure your coffee is fresh is to roast it yourself, or buy it straight from the roaster.

Here are the most common espresso based beverages:

Straight Espresso
This is Italy???s most commonly consumed coffee drink, but is not as common in the US. Part of the reason is because the American palate is not as accustomed to the strength of straight espresso. In addition, American roasters frequently over-roast the beans leaving a bitter taste.

Another reason is that although coffee making and coffee bars have been part of the culture and history all over the world, the concept has been adapted to the US market and lifestyle. The result of this unfortunately, is that many coffee bars have neglected to properly train their baristas. Baristas are the ???chef” of coffee who has been properly trained to know the craft of coffee preparation and customer service skills.

There are several variations of the straight shot. Espresso should always be extracted into a pre-warmed demitasse so it doesn???t cool too fast. If possible, only grind right before you brew and store the beans in an airtight container to retain freshness.

Ristretto (or short shot)
Ristretto means restricted in Italian. This is a shot that is stopped about half that of a regular espresso shot. This restricted extraction creates a smaller, stronger shot and ensures that only the best qualities of the coffee are extracted and not the bitter elements. This is the preferred straight shot in Europe.

The Single
A shot extracted to 1 ounce.

The Lungo (or long shot)
A shot extracted to 1.5 ounces.

The Double
A 2-ounce shot using twice as much coffee in the portafilter.

Espresso con Leche
One shot of espresso with a small amount of steamed sweetened condensed milk, dusted with semisweet chocolate powder.

Americano
One shot of espresso added to a 6 to 8 ounce cup of hot water. This makes a smooth cup of coffee similar to drip brewed. In other words an Americano is an espresso with added water to dilute the intensity.

The Americano is a variation that came about during the fifties. It is believed that when American tourists would order coffee they would get something much smaller and stronger than what they were used to. The baristas were asked to add more water and they would comply while muttering ???Americano??? under their breath. In Europe this type of coffee is commonly served with the hot water on the side and in Latin America, caf?? Americano refers to drip coffee.

Espresso Macchiato
Macchiato means ???marked??? in Italian. Therefore this drink is a shot of espresso marked with a small amount of foamed milk dabbed on top with a spoon and served in a demitasse.

Espresso Con Panna
Con Panna means ???with cream??? so basically this drink is the same as a Macchiato except using a dab of whipped cream instead of foamed milk.

Espresso Romano
There???s a rumor that in Old Rome, dishwashing facilities were limited and lemon was used to disinfect. They rimmed the glass with lemon to prevent the germs from lingering and thus Espresso Romano was created. It is a cup rubbed with lemon and filled with an espresso.

Cappuccino
Cappuccino is considered by many to be the hardest to prepare properly and the result of this leads many Americans to think of a cappuccino as espresso with dry, tasteless foam spooned on top. When prepared properly, a cappuccino is made with velvety, wet foam that mixes with the pour instead of a large bubbled meringue floating on top of the espresso. But simply stated, the cappuccino is a shot of espresso with steamed milk poured in without holding back the foam (like in a latte). The base of every good cappuccino is a good espresso. Everything else seems to vary and there are many interesting variations around the world.

Classic Cappuccino
One espresso with equal amounts of steamed and foamed milk served in a 5-6 oz cup

Dry Cappuccino
One espresso with more foam than steamed milk. This results in a more intense espresso flavor.

Wet Cappuccino
One espresso with more steamed milk than foam creating a lighter tasting cappuccino.

Double or Doppio Cappuccino
Made with two espressos with steamed milk and foam. Not double in size but in strength.

Caffe Latte
A single shot of espresso for a 6 to 8 ounce drink. Pour in steamed milk, but hold back the foam with your spoon until about 70% to 75% full. Then top it off with foam. For a larger latte (12 to 16 ounces) use a double shot to maintain the coffee flavor.

Caffe Mocha
A cafe mocha is a variation of the latte but with chocolate syrup added before the steamed milk. After the milk is added, an additional stir may be required. Typically, mochas are topped with whipped cream and sometimes chocolate sprinkles.

More Coffees

Caf?? cortado
???Cut coffee??? It???s a cup of coffee with a small amount of hot milk

Caf?? con leche
This varies from country to country. In some it means an equal amount of coffee and hot milk and in other places, like Mexico, it is strong brewed coffee or espresso served in a milkshake glass with a long spoon (to prevent the glass from cracking) and steaming hot milk poured tableside. It is traditional to serve this with churro.

Caf?? brul??, quemado (burned) o Diablo (devil)
A glass of brandy or cognac heated with a lemon rind. Coffee is added and a little brandy is burned in a spoon with a sugar cube.

Viennese Coffee
Coffee with fresh whipped cream garnished with chocolate shavings or cinnamon.

Scottish Coffee
A cup of coffee or espresso with vanilla ice cream.

Caf?? Bomb??n
Coffee or espresso served in a glass. Condensed milk is poured over and thus will sink to the bottom. It is never served or accompanied with sugar, since the milk is sweet enough.

Caf?? Jamaicano (Jamaican Coffee)
It is prepared in a glass (like Irish coffee). A tablespoon of brown sugar and a cup of tia Maria liqueur or Khalua is poured in the glass followed by hot brewed coffee. It is topped with lightly whipped cream and powdered coffee.

Caf?? criollo (Creole Coffee)
A yolk is beaten with a cup of aged rum and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. A Caf?? con leche of equal part milk and coffee is poured while mixing very well in the glass.

Mexican Caf?? de Olla
An earthy mixture of coffee, (usually Viennese roast) cooked with cinnamon, aniseeds, and piloncillo (sugar in the raw from Mexico). This drink is traditionally prepared in an earthenware pot called Olla. The earthenware lends some of the special flavor to this drink.

Spanish Macchiato
Steamed Mexican chocolate and sweetened condensed milk poured over an espresso. The milk mixture is poured from the pitcher to a demitasse, shaking from side to side creating a marbling effect.

Caf?? Cubano
This Cuban variation produces a sweetened cup of espresso by adding refined sugar to ground coffee prior to brewing. (About 2 teaspoons of sugar per shot of espresso)

Caf?? Mezzo Mezzo
This means half and half and it is a cup or mug filled halfway with freshly brewed coffee and filled the rest of the way with steamed milk.

Caf?? Au Lait
Similar to the Caf?? Mezzo Mezzo. This is the French version of equal amounts of coffee and milk.

Flavored Coffee Drinks
When using flavored syrups, add the syrup directly to the espresso and then stir thoroughly before adding steamed or cold milk. This helps the syrup dissolve and mix thoroughly.

Also any of these drinks can be made cold, just use cold milk (not steamed) add ice and blend if desired.

Flavored Lattes and Cappuccinos
There are many high quality flavored syrups on the market that can flavor any kind of coffee drink. Some of the more common flavors are vanilla, hazelnut, Irish cr??me, caramel, peppermint, and butter rum. Even some fruit flavors do well in coffee. Just add the syrup to the espresso, stir, and add steamed milk and stir once more. If you like, top with whipped cream and/or sprinkles.

On a personal note???.

I tend to have a sweet tooth and can definitely appreciate a little sweetness and flavor in my coffee once in a while, but I have to say I think things have gotten out of control in coffeehouses found throughout this part of the world.

Flavored coffees have become desserts in a cup. Do we really need a brownie blended in a coffee or have half a cup caramel dowsed with a cup of whipped cream! These are not for me. I prefer a good cup of coffee accompanied by a tasty treat and not a blend of both. I don???t think anyone needs a 700-calorie cup of coffee. What do you think?

Note from the Editor: Stay tuned for part two of the Coffee Beverage feature.

I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and have been working in various restaurants in NYC as a pastry chef and/or consultant. I am currently working on writing a grant proposal to write a book on Mexican pastries and loving life!

Coffee and Tea is a big part of my culture and am very exited to share some of my knowledge and passion.