At the new gelato bar nearby is a wonderful espresso machine. As I considered my options, I was offered an Indian spiced coffee. I asked if they would mind if I read the label on the coffee to understand what was in my coffee.
As I read, we chatted about masala tea, coffee beans, and my efforts to create a flavored coffee. In my quest, I explored beans from all over the world. At some point, Ethiopian, Brazil, Indonesia, and a variety of Central American counties were the lead beans. I tried grinding the beans with the spices as well as separately. I explored making it as an espresso as well as a drip and French press. After months of experimenting, some close but many just awful, I found the magical combination.
In the end I found myself wondering why I had taken the journey. The recipe that worked best was a simple adaptation of a traditional masala method. Gently stir freshly ground Indian coffee beans (only ones that seemed to blend with spices at all) and the five types of fresh spices. Bring a milky water mix to a gentle boil, with the milk and water blend dictated by your taste preferences. When gently boiling, add the dry mix and let it continue for a minimum of 3 minutes but as long as you would like. If you prefer sweet masala, add the sugar while the mix is still on the boil. Even though I prefer my coffee without sugar, in my opinion, this is best served slightly sweet.
I never knew I had the answer when I started my quest. Often I find myself taking the same trip with Divinity. I walk towards one side and then to another. I reflect and journey some more. In the end, I come back to the God of Compassion, Community, and Caring. “He’s the One from east to west; from desert to mountains, he’s the One.” (Psalm 75.6)
After reading the label, yesterday’s coffee was just that, a select coffee without spice. Good, but not the one.
