You know how people talk about "Dutch cocoa, Italian coffee" etc?
Well it's all fake. Cocoa doesn't come from Holland. Coffee doesn't grow in Italy. And real rum comes from the same place that the cocoa and coffee comes from.
You need
- Actual fresh Ground coffee, from a Plantation, preferably in Jamaica's Blue Mountains, or our Northern Range. No, there is no internet picture. Substitute what you like, but it will be a substitute.
- A Cocoa Ball from Tabaquite, solid cacao and spices hand formed into a gratable fist sized lump. It smells like being hit by a chocolate truck. When my grandfather made these, he used to put in bay leaves from a tree. Lesser but well regarded spices are Grenada Nutmeg, Cloves, and cinnamon. A good Cocoa Ball by itself can make a credibly good beverage. Let's talk about cocoa for a second. Trinitario cocoa is so good, that it is bought at a premium to flavour other cocoa blends. Yes it's named after Trinidad. It gets exported to France, to make nougat from Montélimar. The stuff you buy powdered in groceries is lesser Forastero cocoa, grown in places like Brazil. If you are lucky, you might find a blend with some Trinitario in it.
But the stuff from Tabaquite? That is Criollo cocoa. Criollo is to Trinitario, as Trinitario is to Forastero. It's almost extinct. You have to look for it.
You can read more and see some cool pictures of the cocoa pods here:
perfectdailygrind.com
Now, I do not agree with the writer, because of where I live. Maybe there are wonderful subtypes of Forastero. He however probably cannot find Tabaquite.
if you are not putting grated Cocoa Ball in, your coffee will be bitter, anaemic, and sad.
In fact, the coffee is just an added flavor for the Ball. Yes, as good as it is, it is a subsidary ingredient.
- Ponche de Creme, preferably made with White Old Oak. ( Link to the instructions. I know Renee. Good chef.) This is kind of similar to Eggnog, a beverage made respectable by the quality of the whiskey. Eggnog is the poor cousin to Ponche de Creme, which can only be taken in very small measures, lest you die from a diabetic coma. It has enough calories and egg protein to sustain a Mars voyage. When people give you a bottle, ( if they REALLY like you) it is always a Rum bottle of Ponche. What other spare empty bottle would they have?
You cannot put coloured rum in this, it has to be White. The molasses/caramel in brown/gold rums alter the taste. It isn't bad or anything, just completely unacceptable because it's different. You have to have standards in life.
Assembly:
Use a mug, mine holds 3/4 litre. None of that thimble of bitter stuff for me. We like our caffeine by the kilo.
Grate in 1/4 of the Ball. Or 1/2 if you are a braver man. Add 1-2 tsp of the coffee. You won't need sugar.
Add in boiling water, brew for your taste, and then cold Ponche de Creme. When it vaporizes the rum, you can pick up dissolved aromatics from the Bitters, and the Ball -the drink is ready.
Every other coffee you have will be disappointing, for the remainder of your days. Maybe you shouldn't drink it...
Well it's all fake. Cocoa doesn't come from Holland. Coffee doesn't grow in Italy. And real rum comes from the same place that the cocoa and coffee comes from.
You need
- Actual fresh Ground coffee, from a Plantation, preferably in Jamaica's Blue Mountains, or our Northern Range. No, there is no internet picture. Substitute what you like, but it will be a substitute.
- A Cocoa Ball from Tabaquite, solid cacao and spices hand formed into a gratable fist sized lump. It smells like being hit by a chocolate truck. When my grandfather made these, he used to put in bay leaves from a tree. Lesser but well regarded spices are Grenada Nutmeg, Cloves, and cinnamon. A good Cocoa Ball by itself can make a credibly good beverage. Let's talk about cocoa for a second. Trinitario cocoa is so good, that it is bought at a premium to flavour other cocoa blends. Yes it's named after Trinidad. It gets exported to France, to make nougat from Montélimar. The stuff you buy powdered in groceries is lesser Forastero cocoa, grown in places like Brazil. If you are lucky, you might find a blend with some Trinitario in it.
But the stuff from Tabaquite? That is Criollo cocoa. Criollo is to Trinitario, as Trinitario is to Forastero. It's almost extinct. You have to look for it.
You can read more and see some cool pictures of the cocoa pods here:
Is Criollo Really King? The Myth of Cacao's Three Varieties
Have you ever picked up a bar of chocolate and wondered exactly what the label means? Many of us have! Take Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario: the names of three cacao varieties that you might see on the packaging. But what are the differences and why should you care?
perfectdailygrind.com
if you are not putting grated Cocoa Ball in, your coffee will be bitter, anaemic, and sad.
In fact, the coffee is just an added flavor for the Ball. Yes, as good as it is, it is a subsidary ingredient.- Ponche de Creme, preferably made with White Old Oak. ( Link to the instructions. I know Renee. Good chef.) This is kind of similar to Eggnog, a beverage made respectable by the quality of the whiskey. Eggnog is the poor cousin to Ponche de Creme, which can only be taken in very small measures, lest you die from a diabetic coma. It has enough calories and egg protein to sustain a Mars voyage. When people give you a bottle, ( if they REALLY like you) it is always a Rum bottle of Ponche. What other spare empty bottle would they have?
You cannot put coloured rum in this, it has to be White. The molasses/caramel in brown/gold rums alter the taste. It isn't bad or anything, just completely unacceptable because it's different. You have to have standards in life.
Assembly:
Use a mug, mine holds 3/4 litre. None of that thimble of bitter stuff for me. We like our caffeine by the kilo.
Grate in 1/4 of the Ball. Or 1/2 if you are a braver man. Add 1-2 tsp of the coffee. You won't need sugar.
Add in boiling water, brew for your taste, and then cold Ponche de Creme. When it vaporizes the rum, you can pick up dissolved aromatics from the Bitters, and the Ball -the drink is ready.
Every other coffee you have will be disappointing, for the remainder of your days. Maybe you shouldn't drink it...
