Café Mexicano

...in Laredo, TX...

...even before I opened my eyes in the early morning the first thing I heard were the roosters trumpeting their good morning call... then my sense of smell was assaulted by the smell of fresh coffee and tortillas being prepared... That was all I needed to get my skinny self up and going... (and YES... back then I WAS skinny!) :-p

Earlier in my life, I used to wake up with my Nana by my bedside with that incredible gleam in her eye. That meant that we were going to share something special... and something secret.

We did our Mexican Coffee ritual on the first and last day of my summer vacation and many times over the Christmas holidays...


I'd like to share this with you right now...

You will need the following Ingredients and tools for this very special "cafecito..."

A Coffee Maker
A 1 inch length of Canela (Mexican Cinnamon)
2 tspns Pure Mexican Vanilla
Your favorite Coffee
A small Pot
½ Cup Water
Popular Mexican Chocolate
Creme (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Whipped Creme to Garnish (optional)

My favorite coffee is Maxwell House, so that is what I use. Pure Mexican Vanilla, I use La Vencedora brand from Mexico. ...and Canela.

Can - WHAT? Canela. Canela is true cinnamon, or Ceylon cinnamon. Cinnamomum zeylanicum. This is actually grown in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). What is sold as cinnamon here in the United States is not right for Mexican food. What is sold here is Cinnamomum cassia. An extremely inferior hard wood. Canela is a very soft wood... almost crumbly in texture. Whenever I use "cinnamon" in my recipes, I'm referring to Canela. The delicate flavor of this spice blends well with other spices without the harsh spikey flavor of cassia. I will also warn you here that the canela sold in most Cuban and Caribbean stores here in the States is most likely cassia or another of the substitutes. This goes for both sticks or powdered. Unless you TRUST the source, buy it from a reputable Mexican Market. I've learned this the hard way. Remember; all you need is about an inch-long piece to flavor about 8 cups of coffee!

As you an see, I combine both the coffee and the canela in the brew hopper and then simply begin brewing my coffee!

...and now about chocolate!

I use the Mexican Brand, Popular, which when opened looks looks like little rectangles. These are prepared with ground cacao beans, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon.

Since I enjoy a nice strong chocolate flavor, I use one square for each cup of coffee.

What a way to start the day! I'm telling you my Nana knew her stuff!

I put two squares of chocolate into a ½ cup of water.

You can use milk instead of water for a richer flavor!

Keep stirring until the chocolate completely dissolves.

Once that completely dissolves, add 2 tspns Pure Mexican Vanilla.

...moving right along..

Add about 4 tbspns of the chocolate/vanilla mixture into the bottom of your coffee cup.

Add your prepared coffee infused with canela...

...NOW...

Top with whipped cream. Grab some pan dulce (sweet bread), and ENJOY!

This was a ritual Mama Candelaria, my grandmother, and I used to enjoy on the first and last day of my summer vacation and then we secretly included my mother during the Christmas holidays.

I hope that you make this on mornings that you want to pamper yourself...

...Rare is the morning that I don't fix this comfort cup for me and those I love...

¡BUEN PROVECHO!