Less and less remains in the world of people who are indifferent to coffee. They certainly still exist, but the vast majority of the adult population freezes with delight in anticipation of the aroma and the invigorating taste of this wonderful drink. And true connoisseurs should definitely try Cuban coffee: perhaps its rich taste and unique strength will captivate you forever.
Distinctive features of Cuban coffee
What are the features of Cuban coffee and how does it differ from its counterparts from Italy and France? If you are going to try this extraordinary drink, you need to know the following:
- For its preparation, only natural grains of the strongest roasting grown exclusively in Cuba are used;
- the finished drink is very strong, traditionally drunk with a lot of sugar;
- Cuban coffee is served in small cups and washed down with cold water.
Such a drink has a tart, spicy taste and obligatory notes of bitterness due to the high content of caffeine. Of course, to complete the feeling of merging with Cuba, you can supplement the strong taste of coffee with a tart aromatic cigar, but this is a pleasure for everyone.
A bit of history
The cultivation of coffee trees has more than two centuries of history. For the first time, seedlings were introduced to Cuba from Haiti, and this was in the middle of the 18th century. Cubans approached the cultivation of trees with all responsibility. Strict adherence to technology, backed by an excellent climate and fertile soils, has yielded amazing results.
Today, the concept of "Cuban coffee" combines several varieties of high-class Arabica. It is almost impossible to meet a drink from one variety of grains outside Cuba. Only mixed varieties are exported. For ease of understanding, regardless of the varietal composition, the packaging with finished grains is labeled as “Cuban Cubita Coffee”.
What is the secret of extraordinary taste?
In addition to historical and climatic features, a few more special factors affect the depth and taste of a rich Cuban drink:
- Every tree in Cuba has been carefully maintained. This approach allows you to get the maximum benefit from the soil and fertilizers for each harvest.
- Grains are extracted from the peel and pulp using a special technology that minimizes damage.
- All grains pass the most careful selection. They are sorted both by the number of defects (cracks, chips), and by size.
- Cuban roasting recognized as the strongest. Grains are fried at a temperature of 250 degrees, and this brings its own notes to the taste of the finished drink.
- Real coffee from Cuba is stored in a special vacuum packaging, but even so, the shelf life of the beans is small.
To feel all the features of a drink with such an interesting history and production technology, you need to buy Cuban coffee beans at least once. Feedback from connoisseurs indicates that only in this form can all the qualities of the drink be maximally preserved.
Popular varieties of Cuban drink
Despite many common and similar characteristics, gourmets around the world have identified several of the most popular varieties. Each of them is distinguished by individual traits and can find a connoisseur.
One of the most popular today are Altura and Trinidad. They are distinguished by a high caffeine content, which gives the drink a characteristic bitter taste. Cuban Trinidad coffee is better suited for a wide range of connoisseurs, as it does not have the astringency inherent in Altur.
Also very popular in Europe can be considered a grade of Serrano. It has a pleasant balanced taste, leaving an aftertaste of light acidity. Serrano Cuban coffee is a great option for those who appreciate real high-class Arabica and are not too willing to experiment.
Gourmet Joy
But for those lovers of a fragrant, strong drink who are not tired of looking for new unusual tastes, Cuban coffee can be a real find. Some varieties have such an unusual taste for the European consumer that they are not particularly popular among this group of customers. But at home, such a drink is appreciated, since the inhabitants of the island state do not recognize halftones.
If you want to feel like a real Cuban, Maragogype and Guantanamera varieties are for you. Maragogype is a kind of classic, a drink from whole grains. He is very strong, bitter and tart. Cuban Guantanamera coffee has a slightly less sharp taste, does not differ in excessive astringency, but leaves a slight aftertaste of tobacco.
Making Cuban Coffee
In order to feel the real taste of this drink, you need to purchase Cuban coffee beans. You need to grind them immediately before cooking, since it is not subject to storage. Also, to reproduce the classic recipe, you will need raw sugar or cane brown sugar.
To maximize the taste of this type of coffee, a geyser coffee machine is best. You need to prepare a drink like this:
- ground coffee mix with sugar in a proportion of one to one;
- pour cold water into the bottom of the coffee maker;
- the metal filter must be filled with a mixture of coffee and sugar, but do not crush the mixture tightly;
- close the coffee maker and cook on the stove over low heat;
- as soon as all the coffee reaches the top of the coffee machine, the drink is ready!
How to drink strong coffee
Cuban coffee immediately from the coffee machine needs to be poured into small cups. They need to be preheated: you can do this in a special oven, or you can pour several times with steep boiling water.
The drink is drunk very hot, for which small portions are needed. This type of coffee contains a large dose of caffeine, so with the use should be careful and not exceed a small single serving. Particularly careful should be the elderly and those suffering from diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
It is not customary to add milk, rum or liquor to Cuban coffee. The drink itself has a rich taste and sufficient sweetness, therefore, does not need additions. Drink it with cold water or rum.
Connoisseurs of this tropical drink will appreciate its quality. According to consumer reviews, Cuban coffee is one of the best among a huge range of products. Those who have tried it at least once cannot forget this magical aroma and rich taste. If this happened outside the home country, upon arrival, newly-minted connoisseurs of coffee taste are looking for an opportunity to buy real Cuban coffee beans and drink this spicy drink at home. Fortunately, modern delivery services allow you to do this. Try Cuban coffee once and you won’t resist this character drink! It will give an unsurpassed taste and aroma, energize it for the whole day.