From strong coffee with brandy and spices to soothing mint tea, these are our favorite morning pick-me-ups, afternoon refreshers, and after-dinner treats.
The now-essential ingredient of sweetened condensed milk was first incorporated into this potent summer cooler in the mid-twentieth century, when the commissaries of American military bases in Thailand were selling the thick, concentrated treat. Locals quickly embraced it, adding the stuff to both iced coffee and tea, making them luxuriously sweet.
Native Dubliner Cathal Armstrong, chef of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Virginia, recommends using Red Breast or Paddy Irish whiskey in this pick-me-up that’s a classic, simple combination of coffee, whiskey, brown sugar, and soft-peaked whipped cream. Get the recipe for Irish Coffee »
This recipe for homemade coffee liqueur was developed by longtime Café Grumpy employee Kira Birney, who makes the drink each year around the holidays to share with friends and family. Owner Caroline Bell recommends drizzling the liqueur over vanilla ice cream or using in a White Russian. Time will temper the intense sweetness, so be sure to allow to sit for a month or more.
Australians and New Zealanders are fond of pouring espresso over light, velvety milk foam, a drink they’ve prosaically dubbed the flat white. In its balanced perfection, it possesses the strength of a macchiato and the creaminess of a latte.
This Viennese kaffeehaus specialty, named in honor of a Hapsburg ruler, raises espresso to fragrant heights with the addition of orange in not one but two ways. The coffee gets a jigger of orange liqueur, while a fragrant finish of grated orange zest crowns the thick whipped cream topping.
In the hot, dry summers in Sicily, an icy slush of strong espresso and simple syrup is the perfect refresher. It’s often served as a parfait layered with rich, lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Java lovers in tea-obsessed Hong Kong can find the perfect compromise in this palate-teasing beverage: It combines robust drip coffee with milk tea, a long-steeped brew of Ceylon tea, milk, and sugar. The quirky fifty-fifty blend is soft yet tannic, with a mellow jolt of caffeine. Get the recipe for Hong Kong-style Coffee with Sweetened Tea (Yuanyanga) »
Our simplified version of the flaming coffee cocktail served at Arnaud’s in New Orleans uses strong black coffee spiced with whole cloves and citrus peels. Orange curaçao and brandy give it a sweet, boozy kick. Get the recipe for Arnaud’s Café Brûlot Diabolique »
