Origin: Mexico  |  Prep: 5 minutes  |  Brew: 10 minutes

About This Brew

Café de Olla means 'pot coffee', named for the olla de barro, the earthenware clay pot in which it is traditionally simmered, lending the brew a subtle, distinctive earthiness. It is sweetened with piloncillo, unrefined cane sugar pressed into cones, and spiced with Mexican cinnamon (canela), sometimes with cloves or star anise.

Dating to the Mexican Revolution, when it was brewed to sustain soldiers, Café de Olla is rustic, warming and deeply aromatic. The caramel notes of piloncillo meld with fragrant canela and the bold coffee into something between a brew and a spiced infusion. Served in small clay mugs, it is a fixture of Mexican mornings, market stalls and Día de los Muertos celebrations.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp coarsely ground dark-roast coffee
• 1 cone piloncillo (about 60g), or 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 stick Mexican cinnamon (canela)
• 2 cloves (optional)
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 4 cups water

Equipment Needed

• Olla de barro (clay pot) or saucepan
• Fine strainer
• Mugs

Instructions

1. Add water, piloncillo, cinnamon, cloves and star anise to the pot.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring until the piloncillo fully dissolves.
3. Remove from the heat and add the ground coffee.
4. Stir, cover, and let steep for 5-8 minutes.
5. Strain through fine mesh or cheesecloth into mugs and serve hot.

Tags: Americas · Hot · Easy