Mexico, Coffee and Caffe de Olla
Mexico is one of the largest producers of coffee in the world, though, unlike some other countries that we could name, its heritage is often overlooked. Though, that could be because tequila invariably dominates the international psyche when it comes to Mexican produced beverages.
The majority of Mexican coffee comes from the country’s southern-most states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz, and at one point, around two million people relied on the coffee industry for their primary source of income. Due to its economic importance, the sector has become incredibly important to the country as a whole in the last fifty years or so, but Mexico’s association with coffee dates back much further than that.
Coffee first arrived in Mexico in the 18th Century, when the Spanish brought plants across the Caribbean Sea from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. However, its commercial viability was not explored until German and Italian immigrants relocated from neighbouring countries in South America and started to farm coffee on larger scales.
When the First Mexican Empire and the United Provinces of Central America collapsed in the 1800s, disputes over land became a common occurrence within the region. This allowed many wealthy individuals to purchase large swathes of ‘unregistered’ land.
With the benefit of history, many academics believe that this move negatively affected the fledgling coffee industry and it took until the aftermath of the Mexican Civil War – almost a century later – for it to properly modernise and progress.
Despite this setback and the region’s tumultuous history, coffee became a staple in many Mexican households – especially those in the southern growing regions. Instead of looking outwards, coffee moved inwards and became something that was enjoyed at home rather than being shipped off to foreign lands.
As with all thriving coffee cultures, numerous local and regional variations popped up. But, arguably, the most traditional Mexican variation of coffee is known as the Café de olla, literally translated into English as ‘little pot of coffee’.
Café de olla
Combining coffee with a mixture of spices, this is a great little drink. It is easy to create and can be made in bulk, making it the perfect addition to any menu.
The recipe below makes six 10oz drinks.
Ingredients
- 6 scoops/42g Freshly ground coffee
- 45g Piloncillo (or dark brown sugar)
- 5 ltr Boiling water
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 2 Cloves
- The peel of half an orange
Method
- Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel and piloncillo to the boiling water.
- Allow the mixture to infuse over a medium heat.
- When the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to stew.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks.
- Place the ground coffee in a large cafetiere and add the water.
- Steep for five minutes.
- Plunge and serve.