Heard the buzz? Love affair with coffee extends to cuisine, bars
It started as a morning cup of joe. However, over time America’s love affair with coffee has moved beyond the mug to inspire several coffee-flavored products such as ice cream, sauces and spirits.
In fact, Chef Paul Vandewoude of the Miette Culinary Studio in New York credits this coffee trend with inspiring a variety of new cooking recipes featuring coffee-based products.
“Chefs love to try new and different flavors and ingredients in everyday recipes. So when additional coffee-based products became available, the culinary world jumped on the opportunity to experiment,” he said. “From appetizers to desserts, more coffee-inspired recipes are popping up on menus across the country. Recently, I created a barbeque sauce that I think many coffee lovers would enjoy.”
Many noted chefs, like Vandewoude, use coffee to put a new twist on traditional recipe favorites. For example, Vandewoude uses coffee liqueur in his barbeque sauce, which nicely compliments ribs, shrimp and wings. The liqueur adds a hint of chocolate and a clean coffee finish that softens the sauce’s more traditional ingredients, such as vinegar, garlic and horseradish. According to Vandewoude, the coffee liqueur tempers the recipe with a familiar aroma, flavor and color. Vandewoude satisfies his sweet tooth by baking a coffee-inspired chocolate molten cake.
Along with chefs, the latest group to jump on board the coffee trend is bartenders. Like their culinary counterparts, they too have created a wide range of coffee-inspired recipes. From mixed drinks to martinis to modern-day Manhattans, these drinks are appropriate for all occasions.
In fact, the mixability and versatility of coffee liqueurs allow bartenders to combine unexpected flavors like ginger, orange and coffee together, to create the Caffe Fizz, which is perfect for warm weather entertaining. The Caffe Fizz is a tall refreshing drink that combines vanilla rum, ginger ale and coffee liqueur, which is then garnished with an orange wedge.
While chefs and bartenders may create the recipes that lead this trend, coffee lovers can try all these recipes in the comfort of their own homes.
Warm Chocolate-Coffee Cake
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
4 ounces butter
2 shots espresso
1/2 cup coffee liqueur
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4- 1/2 tablespoons flour, heaped
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut chocolate into small pieces. Do the same for the butter.
3. Melt chocolate, butter, espresso and coffee liqueur together in a double boiler.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar until fluffy (about 5–6 minutes).
5. When the chocolate and butter mixture is melted, combine with the egg mixture (make sure to add chocolate to eggs and not the reverse).
6. Add flour and mix batter well.
7. Place batter into six 4-ounce aluminum ramekins that have been well-buttered and floured, and bake for 10–12 minutes in preheated oven. (Make sure not to overcook so that you have a deliciously soft molten cake).
Serves 6
Serve with whipped cream. Garnish with sliced strawberries or mint leaves or drizzled with coffee liqueur.
Coffee Liqueur Barbeque Sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup banana ketchup (if not available, use regular tomato ketchup)
1 tablespoon grated horseradish
1 cup orange blossom honey
1 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 shots espresso
1/2 cup coffee liqueur
1. Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook until translucent (about 1–2 minutes). Add banana ketchup, horseradish, honey, balsamic vinegar, espresso and coffee liqueur.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer over low flame for 15–20 minutes.
3. Blend sauce in a blender to a smooth consistency.
Makes 1 pint
Barbecue sauce may be served warm or cold. Serve with chicken, shrimp, beef ribs or pork ribs.
Caffe Fizz
1 part coffee liqueur
1 part vanilla rum
Ginger ale
Orange wedge
Build over ice; squeeze and drop in orange wedge.
Raspberry Cooler
1 part coffee liqueur
2 parts raspberry vodka
Splash of soda
Lime wedge
Build over ice; squeeze and drop in lime wedge.