Flavored Coffee

Generally, I'm not a fan of adding flavors to my coffee (a little splash of Bailey's can be nice after dinner). However, last week, as I was getting things ready for NiagaraCOOL, I had to use my coffee grinder to grind up fennel seeds for the dry rub to put on the ribs. When finished, I cleaned it the best I could, but when I gound my French roast beans for my next pot of coffee, there was still just a hint of the fennel seed flavor and aroma in the coffee. I liked it, as it enhanced the flavor. The next pot of coffee I make at home this weekend (I drink all my coffee during the week at work) I'm going to add about 3-4 fennel seeds to the grinder with the coffee and I'll report back. Do other folks here add flavors to their coffees? I know some people who add a pinch of cinnamon, but I don't really care for it.

[Jenise]

I'm not a fan of flavored coffee either, Howie. I really enjoy the flavor of high quality beans ground fresh for each cup, and see no need to adulterate. Keep those syrups and liquers away from my coffee! But a restrained use of spice can add an interesting, haunting bit of exotica to a pot of joe that's like a trip to a foreign land. I don't mind the occasional bit of cinnamon (no powder--grind good quality cinnamon bark with the coffee), and borrowing the Lebanese tradition of adding cardamom pods especially after a middle eastern style dinner can be heavenly.

Different varietals provide sufficiently distinct tastes for me that I vary the beans and don't use flavored coffees.

Always seemed to me that flavoring was a way to cover up bad beans. Agree with both comments ..don't want to cover up the taste of a good bean but do enjoy a subtle flavor of a few cardamom seeds, honey and cream on occasion. This however becomes an after dinner drink more than a cup of coffee.

I have to be desperate for coffee to drink flavored coffee.

A little chocolate - then it becomes a mocha. Mochacino/mochaccino (sp ?) is very popular in this part of the world.

Like the sound of fennel - it would add a slightly anise nuance.

In other countries many additives such as ginger, palm sugar, or complete spice blends are added to coffee during the brew cycle. In Morroco they sometimes use a Top of the Shop spice called Ras Al Hanout which is comprised on nutmeg, rosebuds, cinnamon, mace, anise seeds, tumeric orris root, cayenne, lavender, white pepper, ginger, cloves, allspice,and two types of cardamom.

[Jenise]

What about Turkish style coffees? I don't like sugar in my coffee at all, but that thick sweet sludge that is the turkish style of coffee is quite good. The first time I had that, I was in Damascus and on crutches from a pre-trip injury. A group of us was going into up some building that had a million stairs, so I begged off and sat on a bench near a garden of many raised beds. Then I heard "Pssst! Pssst!" I turned around and within a short fence in one of the raised beds sat a robed, bearded old man in front of this little brazier, which had a lit fire in it. A small tin pot gurgled on top and he patted a sitting pillow next to his and motioned for me to join him. I did. And that's where I had my first Turkish coffee, served in a tall, small diameter glass. If you'd given me that here I'd have probably spit it out as it's so different from what I like. But there, at the invitation of a kind stranger who dared ignore our differences to show a wounded foreigner some hospitality? I loved it, and have loved it ever since.

A little chocolate - then it becomes a mocha.

Completely agree with Sue.

Carl

I avoid the flavored coffees one can buy in stores like the plague. They're invariably horribly over-done for my taste, even when the flavor might otherwise be at least somewhat compatible with coffee. Like many of you, though, I like a little cinnamon stick and /or cardamom in the brew basket once in a while.

On the Turkish coffee thing, I think the first time I had it was at a Greek festival here in town. I was with some friends and we'd all had our share of Ouzo when the "Greek coffee" came out. We got our little cups and began sipping. One of my pals, who'd had maybe a little more Ouzo then the rest of us, demanded that we chug the coffee-shots right to the bottom. Man, was that ever nasty! There's a reason they let those grounds settle.

I, too, avoid those flavored coffees like the plague (they may well be one.)

I had quite a surprise one morning when one of my students had used the coffee grinder to "crush" some Tellicherry peppercorns. Just swiped it out afterwords apparently. Ground my beans as usual. Made coffee.

After an initial shock I was quite pleasantly surprised. Drank the whole pot.

What about Turkish style coffees? I don't like sugar in my coffee at all, but that thick sweet sludge that is the turkish style of coffee is quite good. The first time I had that, I was in Damascus and on crutches from a pre-trip injury. A group of us was going into up some building that had a million stairs, so I begged off and sat on a bench near a garden of many raised beds. Then I heard "Pssst! Pssst!" I turned around and within a short fence in one of the raised beds sat a robed, bearded old man in front of this little brazier, which had a lit fire in it. A small tin pot gurgled on top and he patted a sitting pillow next to his and motioned for me to join him. I did. And that's where I had my first Turkish coffee, served in a tall, small diameter glass. If you'd given me that here I'd have probably spit it out as it's so different from what I like. But there, at the invitation of a kind stranger who dared ignore our differences to show a wounded foreigner some hospitality? I loved it, and have loved it ever since.

Turkish coffee is traditionally served after boiling three times. Cardamom is added after the last boil and gives the coffee a distinct flavor. I too love good Turkish when I can find it or when I take the time to make it at home. THe pot is a Cezve which is a metal pot where the base is larger than the top. It has a handle and a pouring spout.

Well I wouldn't buy flavoured coffees any more - rarely is there any subtlety and some of them are quite nauseaous.

However your experience and idea to experiment seems fair. At least you know what goes into it and also how much.

regards

Ian

I avoid the flavored coffees one can buy in stores like the plague. They're invariably horribly over-done for my taste, even when the flavor might otherwise be at least somewhat compatible with coffee. Like many of you, though, I like a little cinnamon stick and /or cardamom in the brew basket once in a while..

Ditto.

I found the fennel seed thing interesting though - I may try that.

FWIW, I keep an old grinder just for doing spices so as to avoid unintended coffee flavouring!

Flavored coffee is for people who don't like coffee.

This morning I made a pot of coffee, adding a pinch (about 10-12) of fennel seeds to the French roast beans and grinding them together for a 10-cup pot of drip coffee. As I'm sipping it right now it still tastes like French roast, but with just a hint of licorice. Pretty good cup of coffee. I may try it in my espresso maker one of these days.

Flavored coffee is for people who don't like coffee.

'Oaked wine is for people that don't like wine.'

I assume that you also eschew artificial flavourings such as that imparted by oak barrels, or chips, in your wines, Jeff?

Truly, though, they are both 'adulterants', albeit with a long history and therefor high perceived acceptability.

I suppose that if you push it, sugar and/or milk are adulterants as well; I would certainly agree with that statement when it comes to certain Chinese teas....

I'm just trying to point out that it may not be quite as cut and dried as your statement makes it seem.

PS - just added some fennel seeds to the matutinal caffeine hit. Will report back. Am using SWMBO as experimental animal - we'll see if she notices and what she thinks (hope I'm not violating any international protocols here)

Then General Foods International flavored "coffees" really rock. Mmmm, mmmm. What's your fave?

Flavored coffee is for people who don't like coffee.

'Oaked wine is for people that don't like wine.'

I assume that you also eschew artificial flavourings such as that imparted by oak barrels, or chips, in your wines, Jeff?

Truly, though, they are both 'adulterants', albeit with a long history and therefor high perceived acceptability.

I suppose that if you push it, sugar and/or milk are adulterants as well; I would certainly agree with that statement when it comes to certain Chinese teas....

I'm just trying to point out that it may not be quite as cut and dried as your statement makes it seem.

PS - just added some fennel seeds to the matutinal caffeine hit. Will report back. Am using SWMBO as experimental animal - we'll see if she notices and what she thinks (hope I'm not violating any international protocols here)

PPS - she immediately identified the spice and said she prefers cardamom. I'm impressed

Flavored coffee is for people who don't like coffee.

'Oaked wine is for people that don't like wine.'

I assume that you also eschew artificial flavourings such as that imparted by oak barrels, or chips, in your wines, Jeff?

As a matter of fact, I do.

I'm just trying to point out that it may not be quite as cut and dried as your statement makes it seem.

I'm very good at cut and dried.


Jeff

When it comes to flavored coffees, I am in the Denis Leary camp.