HAVE TIME FOR
COFFEE?
Author: Arleen M. Kaptur Article:
Welcome to
the neighborhood - why don't you come
over for coffee? Sound familiar? You
bet! Can you entertain around a terrific
cup of coffee - yes, indeed!
Of course, your
superb coffee must be accompanied by
something that might include a wedge of
your sinfully rich cheesecake, or a
fresh, just from the oven cherry pie.
Even doughnuts are a great "come
together" with coffee.
If you really want to
get elegant, try demitasse and Petits
Four - sure fire elegance in a tiny way.
You can serve your coffee any time of
day. In the morning delight your guests
with a French flair such as Cafe-au-lait.
Just pass around some freshly baked
sweet rolls, croissants, or hot brioche.
But what about evening coffee? Cocoa,
Coffee Brazilian or smooth, flavorful
Vanilla Cream are suitable to everyone's
taste buds. You can also try the more
exotic flavors, such as Hawaiian or
Spiced Rum.
In hot weather try
serving iced coffee or a layered coffee
Cooler. If you don't want to server
flavored coffee, try regular coffee with
flavored creamers in a variety of
flavors for guests to pick and choose. A
really elegant touch is serving flavored
"spoons." These special spoons are your
ordinary spoons with flavored chocolates
on the bowl part of the spoon. When your
guests stir their coffee, they are
adding a subtle touch of flavor, such as
mint, or caramel. They are easy to make
and are a wonderful surprise for your
guests. Just melt your favorite
chocolate, even white chocolate. Dip
your spoons into the melted chocolate,
cool on waxed paper, and server with
your coffee. Now, that's entertaining!
Here are a few
recipes for adding a touch of
"different" when you serve coffee. Iced
Coffee: Make your usual coffee, but
double strength. Pour 3/4 cup of hot,
steaming coffee over your ice cubes. Add
additional ice cubes if desired. Serve
with confectioner's sugar and whipped
cream. Try adding a little maple syrup
to your whipped topping. You can dust
with cinnamon, if you like. Now this is
almost as good as an ice cream sundae.
Coffee Cooler: 3/4
cup chocolate syrup, such as Hershey's,
1 quart of plain vanilla ice cream, 1-1/2 cups milk 1 tbs. of your
favorite instant coffee Chill your
glasses in a freezer for about 15 mins.
Spoon 3 tbs. chocolate syrup into each
glass. Add some ice cream that is
slightly softened. Quickly blend in the
coffee crystals into warm milk. Do not
boil the milk but it must be
sufficiently warm to mix well with the
instant coffee. Let this mixture cool.
Pour your milk mixture over the ice
cream and use shaved chocolate sprinkles
to add extra flavor. Serve with a straw
and a dollop of whipped cream.
Demitasse: Measure 3
tbs. instant coffee, or to taste, into
your coffee server. Add 2 cups boiling
hot water. Serve your coffee in tiny
cups with cream and sugar on the side.
(Fruit flavor) Add 1 tsp. orange juice
for each cup of coffee in your server.
Or if you are not sure your guests
prefer a fruit flavor, pass twists of
orange rind.
Cafe-au-lait: 1 cup
milk ,1 cup light cream, 3 tbs. instant
coffee, 2 cups boiling water. Warm the
milk and cream over low heat until hot, but never to boiling. Beat with an
electric mixer until foamy and pour
immediately into a warmed pitcher.
Dissolve the instant coffee in the
boiling water. Pour into a separate
pitcher. When serving, fill cups from
both pitchers at the same time. This
joins the two together to blend to just
the right consistency. Serve and enjoy.
Cardamom Coffee:
Place two crushed cardamom seeds in the
bottom of each coffee cup. Fill with hot
coffee, a little on the strong side.
This gives your coffee a wonderfully
warming spicy aroma.
When you invite
guests over for coffee, they are
expecting not only a great cup of coffee
and a special something to go with it,
but warm hospitality and friendly
conversation. So get together with
friends and family and invite them to
"come over for coffee" and give them
something they don't expect by using any
of the special coffees above. Drink up
and enjoy!
©Arleen M. Kaptur
2002 |
