The Unexpected Ingredient You Might Find In Mexican Coffee
Coffee is a global drink and treatments of it vary as much as any other part of culture. In Mexico, for example, what people add to their coffee varies by heritage and region according to Big Cup of Coffee. Mexicans in the northern part of the nation add dairy and sweeteners in a style that many from the United States are familiar with. The further south you travel, though, the less familiar the coffee becomes. Thus, you might find yourself encountering some preparations foreign to you if you don't spend a lot of time in Mexico.
Coffee obviously isn't the only beverage that Mexicans enjoy; try the best tequila for sipping if you want to get a different experience, but Big Cup of Coffee says that drinking coffee is definitely a frequent ritual for many Mexicans and may even be paired with tequila after a meal. While that might be a local custom you'd expect and are eager to try, some other possible ingredients and preparation techniques that might take you by surprise. One unique experience might prove polarizing for tourists in Mexico who give a certain coffee blend a try.
Mexican coffee
Anise carries a controversial taste. NBC News reported that some food scientists actually believe that a distaste or love for its licorice flavor profile might actually be inborn in us. Love it or hate it, you might find it in some Café de Olla in Mexico (via Big Cup of Coffee). The traditional preparation rules for Café de Olla include the use of coarsely ground coffee beans and earthen clay pots. Typical ingredients in the brew are usually cinnamon and piloncillo, an unrefined brown sugar (via Mex Grocer).
From there, though, add-ins vary by taste. Among other potential additions to the water and grounds in the olla (the clay pot) are orange peel and Mexican chocolate. Anise is also one of the common flavor additives. After the mix simmers long enough for the piloncillo to dissolve, your cup of Café de Olla is ready for you to try. If you're part of the population that counts black licorice as one of your favorite candies, you might have found your new favorite coffee.