At Curators Coffee near Oxford Circus you never know what surprise ingredient you might find in your Americano. Founder Catherine Seay is curious about the bean and that means adding anything from mushroom consommé to grapefruit and rosemary to her concoctions.
She explains: “There’s a serious attitude to coffee — people usually choose not to have a plain black filter. Milk can complement the flavour but we wanted to find out what else goes with it. If you source coffees from different origins they have different flavours, not one generic coffee taste, so ingredients that you wouldn’t usually consider can bring this out.”
A shot of mushroom consommé on the side can feel magic, bringing out the umami and deepening what coffee connoisseurs call the mouthfeel. “You wouldn’t order the mushroom coffee every day but it can awaken the palate and make you taste your usual coffee differently,” says Seay. It’s one way to up your vegetable intake and counteract any coffee-induced headiness.
In the same spirit, this summer, Curators Coffee is adding a drink called Bittersweet Moment to its menu. It’s a double shot of espresso, apple juice and grapefruit juice served over ice with a spring of rosemary.
Sparkling cascara is also back. For this drink they take the coffee cherry, which is usually discarded, and make a reduction with it that is super-caffeinated and fruity. Then they mix it with lime and sparkling water so you taste the highly charged caffeine kick but it is refreshing for summer.
Adding natural ingredients can counteract any negative effects of caffeine. The ultimate healthy summer coffee is a rose latte at Farm Girl. Rose Mann, the cafe’s founder, says the recipe was influenced by her friend Melly Lou, a nutritionist: “Not only does it look and smell incredible, it’s extremely beneficial to one’s health. Traditionally, rose water was used as a natural medicine to treat things such as bloating, indigestion and a sore throat. It is also very hydrating, which helps to counterbalance the effects of the caffeine. Most importantly, rose water is calming on our senses. Mix this with a delicious hot latte and you have a powerfully relaxing combination.”
It is something to behold, with flower petals scattered on top and a subtle taste — people have come to the café just to order it and snap it for their Instagram feed. Any shyness about its rosy colour that male customers may have ordering it disappears as soon as they taste the fresh mix of floral notes and rich coffee. It’s made with plenty of frothy milk, and you can go for soya or almond if you’re that way inclined. The nutty flavour works particularly well with the coffee and rose combo. There’s a lavender version that Mann calls “a calming morning pick-me-up”.
At Pact Coffee’s HQ they have experimented by hacking their drinks using a slice of orange instead of an Aeropress filter and over in New York Supercrown has a secret ingredient in its Americanos — lemonade.
Next time you order a coffee, remember to think beyond milk.
Susannah Butter
