Cardamom Espresso

Cardamom is another one of those spices quite famous for its use in Indian cuisine. Also used as a major component of chai tea and as a mulling spice. We put it in espresso but we aren't the first. It is a Turkish tradition, and I can see how it would help the extremely dark, bitter roasts they are famous for.

The spice lends the shot of espresso a rich flavour that compliments the strong brew wonderfully. It took a bit to achieve balance, as it is very potent. A couple shakes is all it takes to completely transform the cup in surprising ways. As enjoyable as it is to taste the mobile complexity in the cup itself, for me, the real fun is in the aftertaste. The cardamom flavour evolves with the coffee on your palate long after the last sip. I'm still tasting it subtly after finishing the shot fifteen minutes ago.

This is our third balanced and completed recipe for infused espresso. Two more to go, and we're ready for a cupping! That's tasting in non coffee house jargon. I'm excited! This coffee is so good, you don't even know.

Spice Mix Round 2

This time around I measured the spices to make a recipe. It is really good, but the cinnamon didn't quite come through except in the aroma. I will amend the recipe to include 1/2 teaspoon more cinnamon to balance it out, maybe a 1/4 teaspoon more coriander too. 

This drink is warm, complex, nuanced, light and heavy all at the same time. First, the warm smell of cinnamon and cardamom hits your nose. Then, you taste complicated, hard to work out, but quite good coffee with citrus notes from the coriander. The cardamom cascades over your palate leaving you with an aftertaste  that constantly changes in your mouth for minutes. 

I love this spice mix with Sidamo because all the flavours work so well with the natural blueberry flavour. It is an entirely different beast than Steampunk. 

Chai inspired spice mix

After yesterday's chai disappointment left a quite literal bitter taste in my mouth, I refused to give up on what I thought chai should have been able to do to the coffee. So, I created my own spice mix to mimic the good qualities of chai and remove those elements we already know don't work.

The result was a mix of cardamom, coriander, and cinnamon. I'm hoping for the crisp, almost spicy bits of the cardamom; fresh, lemony notes of coriander; and warm complexity from the cinnamon. Just a little goes a long way with spices this assertive.

It worked like a charm. The first sip was clean and fresh, then "something weird" happened as Brian put it, and finished with citrus. Wonderful! The complexity was there. Citrus built throughout the shot and lingered a good five minutes in the aftertaste. I'd describe the "weird" bit as a swirl of complexity. All the flavours mixed in new and interesting ways on your tongue that takes a little while to sort out.

This is a shot you will enjoy for a while. It changes in your mouth like a good wine. An intense wine aged in a nutty espresso grave. The spices didn't take any of the nutty qualities of the espresso away, just added multiple levels to it. I really loved the way the three spices interacted with the coffee and each other. It reminds me of turbulent fluid motion, a pipe of some sort with a liquid swirling and rushing through it, spinning around in a flurry of activity. Top five, easily.

Green Cardamom

I once read that there is a history of adding cardamom to coffee in the Arab world. Traditionally, a few pods would be added to the grounds to spice up the usual brew. I'd never cooked with it before, so I didn't really know how it would taste or smell. I've definitely tasted it before, but I couldn't tell you where. In chocolate maybe, or in Indian food? The experiment begins with a mortar & pestle.

Just a small pinch is all that is needed to really change the taste of the espresso shot. The cardamom subtly scents and blends seamlessly into the body without competing with it. Very complimentary. The syrupy bottom third I found a little strong, so maybe a smaller pinch next time. Just goes to show how assertive a spice this really is. Overall, the infusion lent a clean, crisp, almost lemony taste that was quite enjoyable. I can see why

Roll a sip around on your tongue and it coats nicely. The cardamom adds another layer of complexity similar to that of nutmeg, but more insistent. It plays little spoon to the coffee on the palate. A taste reminiscent of ginger  compliments the blueberry notes of the Ethiopian Sidamo surprisingly well. The two notes toss a ball back and forth across your tongue for a few moments before they settle down . Wow! Enamoured as I am with this coffee bean, I couldn't ask for a better cup. This flavour has broached the top three of all those we've tried in my books.