5.4kg.
This is the average annual coffee consumption of the French, according to a study published in October 2018 by Max Havelaar France.
Did you say
addict
?
Even in summer, you don't refuse your daily dose of caffeine.
But to enjoy your coffee below 25°C, we prefer it in a chilled version with ice cubes.
According to legend, the coffee shake was born in 1957 during the international fair of Thessaloniki in Greece.
Finding no hot water, a Nescafé brand employee reportedly mixed his soluble coffee stick with cold water and sugar in a shaker.
Years later, this recipe has been modernized in
coffee shops
of the whole world.
Iced coffee can also, of course, be prepared at home.
Explanations and advice with Chung-Leng Tran, co-founder of the Hexagone Café in Paris (1) and co-author of the book
Le Café c'est pas sorcier
(2).
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How to achieve it?
"Forget instant coffee, which is of very poor quality", announces Chung-Leng Tran straight away.
In order to make a whipped preparation worthy of the name, it all starts with the choice of grain, which differs according to each person's palate.
"The more it is roasted, the more bitter you will have in your mouth", indicates the barista.
While there are several varieties on the market, some stand out.
Coffee from Tanzania, for example, brings the rather fruity and sour taste of rhubarb.
The Ethiopian production, on the other hand, has floral notes of jasmine and an acidity close to citrus fruits.
As for grains from Brazil, they are appreciated for their roundness and chocolate flavor.
Once the beans are ground, you prepare your coffee like an espresso, using a percolator or an automatic machine.
"We will double the dose, about 45 grams, because the ice cubes strongly dilute the taste of the coffee", explains Chung-Leng Tran.
To cool the hot drink, add 130 grams of ice, before pouring everything into a shaker and shaking vigorously.
The thermal shock will automatically cool the preparation.
At the Hexagone Café, the baristas use a Japanese machine to cut the ice cubes optimally.
"The more they are hollow, the faster they will break. Large cubes, on the other hand, will slow down the process", underlines the specialist.
Finally, pour the mixture into a glass.
The iced coffee is successful when the
we observe a nice soft foam on the surface.
All you have to do is plant your straw - made of cardboard - to taste it!
Syrup or spices to flavor it
In order to neutralize the bitterness of coffee, some may be tempted to add crystal sugar.
On the zinc of the Parisian address, we prefer to serve it plain and reveal its aromas.
For the incorrigible sweet tooth, Chung-Leng Tran recommends making your own sugar syrup: "We melt a dose of sugar and water in a saucepan. This will allow a better mixture".
In the south of France, the Marseillais replace it with orgeat syrup.
Spices can also bring a touch of originality to the recipe.
In the Middle East, people flavor their iced coffee with cardamom.
In the United States, we like to marry it with cinnamon, as for hot chocolate.
And for an even spicier drink, a few pinches of anise powder will delight curious taste buds.
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Variations of iced coffee
If your wrist hurts from shaking the shaker, don't worry, there are other easy iced coffee recipes to make.
The
iced latte,
or iced latte, is a double espresso topped with 14 cl of fresh cow's milk or cold vegetable (almond, soy or coconut) and three ice cubes.
The most patient will opt for a
cold brew coffee,
in other words a cold infusion of coffee. Chung-Leng Tran.
And why not enjoy his coffee for dessert?
In Italy, this indulgence is called
affogato al caffè
, in other words "drowned coffee".
It consists of a scoop of vanilla ice cream over which a hot espresso is poured.
With all these variations, we'll never get tired... of coffee, as Gainsbourg used to sing.
(1) The Hexagone Café, 121 Rue du Château, 75014 Paris. More info on
hexagone-cafe.fr
or on 01 43 22 54 61.
(2) Chung-Leng Tran is the co-author of Le café c'est pas sorcier, published by Marabout, 192 pages, 19.90 €.
This article, originally published on July 5, 2019, has been updated.
