Hidden treasures on the menu
In your opinion, what is the worst trick that was not quickly accepted by society and is now customary? Well, caffeine is on my personal shortlist of life's best cheat codes . This “drug”, the most widespread and consumed in the world, has a considerably positive impact on our nervous system and our cognitive capacity. In fact, we can very often catch members of the Faux Mouvement running club in the act of having a short espresso before an outing. Caffeine gives a boost to the cardiovascular system and, in other words, gives distance runners a pair of wings.
Available in its natural form in tea, chocolate, cola-based soft drinks and of course, coffee as we know it, there is no shortage of recipes to taste caffeine. During a coffee break, I invite you to unearth with me the hidden treasures of the menu of your favorite coffee shop !
Based on espresso
Since it was brewed under pressure and at very high temperatures, espresso is known for packing a punch. Like a gentle slap in the face, its complex aromatic profile and thick cream make espresso a versatile and powerful base that effectively awakens our senses.
Since it was brewed under pressure and at very high temperatures, espresso is known for packing a punch. Like a gentle slap in the face, its complex aromatic profile and thick cream make espresso a versatile and powerful base that effectively awakens our senses.
The Americano : The closest you will get to the texture of a filter coffee, but keeping the taste of espresso is the Americano. The recipe is very simple: you simply pour a double espresso over very hot water. We suggest sticking to the ratio of one quarter of coffee to three quarters of water as much as possible for maximum flavor.
Macchiato : Taken from Italian, the word macchiato means colored or spotted. Here, we delicately “stain” our espresso with a dab of milk foam and that’s it!
Macchiato : Taken from Italian, the word macchiato means colored or spotted. Here, we delicately “stain” our espresso with a dab of milk foam and that’s it!
Le Cortado : If you asked me to find a better duo than milk and espresso… I hope you're sitting comfortably because you could be waiting a long time. Steamed milk is a real flavor vector: it unlocks the sweetness of the flavors of the espresso and thus extends the pleasure a bit. This recipe was developed with the aim of slightly cutting the surprising taste of espresso, softening it and sweetening it, but without stealing the spotlight. To make a cortado, simply add frothed milk to a standard double espresso, respecting the ratio of one third coffee to two thirds milk. In the end, you will have an extra small version of the latte!
Cappuccino : Cappuccino or commonly called Viennese coffee in France is a drink which was designed to consume espresso in the afternoon, because it is very light. Due to its high foam content, taking a sip of cappuccino is a bit like biting into a cloud. For an ideal cup result, we suggest respecting the following ratio: one third espresso, one third hot milk and one third milk foam.
The Latté : Finally, the famous latte. What's more comforting than a good cup of hot milk spiced up with a dose of espresso! To prepare the perfect latte, we recommend a ratio of one third espresso to two thirds hot milk.
Left field recipes
Let's say you wake up one morning and you're feeling frivolous. The baristas at Faux Mouvement have exactly what you need and these recipes will certainly not leave you indifferent.
Homemade Café -limo : Ok ok… I know I mentioned above that there is no better duo than milk and espresso… but what if I tell you espresso and lemonade?! This refreshing recipe is like an electroshock treatment that will give you the energy you need to continue your day with its dose of sugar and cold-infused caffeine.
L' Affogato : Ice cream and coffee. Do I really need to say anything else other than take my money and hurry?
Dirty Chai : This recipe involves incorporating a dose of chai tea into your latte. Why not add a little spice to your coffee routine!
Decaffeinated
What if caffeine isn't for you? If you are part of that group of superior individuals who don't need this magic potion to be the best version of yourself? Please note that it is possible to consume the espresso-based recipes listed above, but without caffeine. Indeed, a decaf is simply a coffee whose caffeine content has been reduced from 4% to 0.1%. The water decaffeination process requires no chemicals; it involves soaking the bean in water containing all the elements of green coffee except caffeine for about 10 hours. Thus, the caffeine separates from the coffee bean and migrates towards the medium with the least caffeine concentration, that is to say water. Pure caffeine is then easily extractable.
What if caffeine isn't for you? If you are part of that group of superior individuals who don't need this magic potion to be the best version of yourself? Please note that it is possible to consume the espresso-based recipes listed above, but without caffeine. Indeed, a decaf is simply a coffee whose caffeine content has been reduced from 4% to 0.1%. The water decaffeination process requires no chemicals; it involves soaking the bean in water containing all the elements of green coffee except caffeine for about 10 hours. Thus, the caffeine separates from the coffee bean and migrates towards the medium with the least caffeine concentration, that is to say water. Pure caffeine is then easily extractable.
Decaffeination
We agree – the world of coffee can be intimidating at times. During the previous sections, we understood that extracting a simple espresso requires monitoring several parameters. It was then established that the coffee bean itself goes through several meticulous stages before becoming edible. And of course, countless recipes are available on the menus of our favorite cafes to mix us up even more. On the other hand, let's agree on one thing: coffee brings people together. After water, it is still the most consumed drink in the world! Nothing is more pleasant than sharing a Chemex in the morning after the race, a cappuccino in the afternoon at work, an espresso martini at happy hour and an affogato after dinner.
Looking forward to sharing a cup with you, during a coffee break :)
-Alex
-Alex