Mike's Mix: Babur And The Long Road Ahead
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Every week, Mike Augustyniak delves into the local craft cocktails scene and comes up with a new drink you can make at home. This week, he's checking out Saffron and their "Turkish coffee"-themed drink.
Ingredients
1½ oz. Landy's cognac
½ oz. Benedictine
1 oz. Turkish coffee syrup*
1 oz. heavy cream
1 Whole Egg
grated cardamom
Instructions
Add cognac, Benedictine, Turkish coffee syrup, heavy cream and egg to shaker. Hard shake with ice. Strain off ice. hard shake again without ice. Strain into glass. Garnish by grating cardamom on top of drink and enjoy.
*To make coffee syrup: Brew coffee in the Turkish style, and strain to remove grounds. Add sugar equal to the amount of coffee (1 cup to 1 cup, for example) and stir to dissolve. Heat additionally if necessary, to ensure all of the sugar dissolves. Add gratings from 2 to 3 cardamom pods (about ¼ tsp) per cup of coffee. Store in refrigerator for up to several months.
Taste Test
Think of this drink as a type of egg nog, with cardamom and coffee standing in for the traditional nutmeg and/or cinnamon flavors. Cardamom is added as a garnish but also to the Turkish coffee syrup, which gives a deep, rounded flavor that isn't always present in traditional egg nog.
By the way, the term "Turkish coffee" refers to the method of preparation; unfiltered grounds that are briefly boiled in water. There is no such thing as a Turkish coffee bean, so don't look for them in the grocery aisle. You can use any type of roast or bean you like, though you may prefer an espresso roast. Traditionally, Turkish coffee has a foamy head, is more robust in flavor, and is served in a small mug, similar to the classic Italian drink.
About Saffron
Saffron is home to chef Sameh Wadi's Mediterranean- and north African-inspired flavors, which creep into the cocktails as well. Individual spices, and four-spice sets, used in Saffron's dishes are available for purchase at the restaurant and online, as is chef's cookbook: The New Mediterranean Table. Visit saffronmpls.com for more.
