Tea infuser and cup with drink

Bare Cacao - Finding your personal ritual

One of the things I love about this product, is the variety in flavour texture and aromas, from batch to batch and from brew to brew, its very rare that they are completely the same, and I guess the quest for perfection is fulfilled more in the journey than the destination.

Over the last few years I have experimented diligently with the quantity of cacao, time per brew, and the tools for the job; all have a fundamental impact on the final results. This blog is a summary of my learning and some suggestions, to help you find your personal ritual, whether its for your full moon ceremony or just a morning cuppa.

I must emphasise that like your first ever coffee, probably as a youngster; it takes a bit of experimenting to find out what works for you. Everyone is different and we all have different tastes and preferences that in themselves change over time as we do. So if you like three sugars in your coffee or a milky week tea that looks like its only been shown the tea bag, you’ll possibly want to take some of your own uniqueness into your preparation and methodology. Experiment try new things and enjoy the journey. :)

Cafetiere

The cafetiere, also known as a French press, à piston, press pot, a coffee plunger or a coffee press. Anyone that has travelled to France and stayed in a holiday let or Abnb, would have most likely found one of these little beauties in the back of the kitchen cupboard. They are more commonly made of glass in a metal frame with a plunger lid, and shiny top. Generally I find these do not hold the heat for long, so I would strongly recommend finding an insulated one that has an extra layer of thermos heat retention so you can fill it up and casually top up your cup without it getting cold. The key to a successful Bare brew with a cafetiere is the length of time left before plunging, my method is as follows:

Two heaped tablespoons of Bare Cacao to one 6-8 cup cafetiere, pour over filtered boiled water, (I normally leave 5-10 seconds once the kettle has clicked) stir and place the lid back on without plunging. Set timer on phone or your watch for five minutes, using that precious time however you chose. Give it another quick stir and then pop down the plunger slowly, being careful not creating too much pressure which can allow for seepage and spillage. If you like milk or a vegan substitute, I find warming the milk first in my cup the best practice, or if you like it just as it is, then just pour and enjoy.

cafetiere pouring coffee. Credit Rene Porter

Moka Pot - Stove top

The Moka pot or Stove top espresso maker is a sleek representation of classic Italian design and engineering that was invented in 1933 and quickly became iconic. The easily recognisable shape has adorned the kitchen tops of trendies the world over, most popular in Italy and South America.

I sometimes use the stovetop for a quick one cup option and you won’t get much more than a cup out of mine, but it provides a much more intensely rich brew, akin to your espresso versus a filter coffee.

Fill the bottom chamber with water, making sure that on inspection all of the composite parts are clean and free of granules, especially under the seal in the top compartment. Load the cap with the funnel underneath with a good 2 tablespoons of Bare cacao, being sure not to press it down too hard, as it becomes too compressed and it will take ages to fill the top. Twist the lid back on and pop it on your flame (great for camping) or hob on a medium high heat, then listen out for the tell-tale bubbling sound indicating that the magic is happening. Reduce the heat and allow for the liquid to rise into the top compartment. I normally have a sneaky peak and see if it’s risen to the top and then take off the heat, leave for a minute or 2 and then pour into the waiting cup. Its definitely best in my opinion served black, but again add your preferred extras beforehand while you’re waiting so its good to go straight away. This is a great start to the day for a caffeine-free energy boost Montezuma would have been impressed with.

 Moka pot Credit for photo  Ashkan Forouzani

Infuser

The infuser or to put it plainly; tea pot, (let’s be honest its basically a posh teapot) is another great way of making a good Bare brew. Personally I’m a big coffee drinker in the morning, so I tend to prefer the coffee style preparation as my go to ritual, but an infuser does just as good a job and depending on the make and size, it may be better for keeping your brew hot longer and free of residue. I’ve also seen some great mini ones that act as a stirrer and go straight in the cup with the contents secured in a metal wired globe. These are both affordable and simple to use.

 

I make sure I empty the kettle and fill with fresh filtered water, add 2-3 tablespoons of Bare Cacao into the wired compartment, allow the water to boil and then carefully pour directly over the cacao. Leave for a good 5 minutes, slowly swishing around a couple of times Before pouring into your favourite mug and savouring that amazing aroma.

                                                               

Having been in a few trendster, funky coffee shops in London and Brighton I'm aware there are dozens of different methods for serving and brewing coffee, some of which would most likely work exceptionally well with Bare Cacao, so if any of you coffee zen warriors out there have any suggestions or experiences, I'd love to hear about them. Watch out for some Breaking bad style equipment on social coming soon!

Thank you. Big love! 

1 comment

Canyou tell me if there’s anything one can usefully do with the grounds afterwards, rather than throw them away.
Thank you
Graham

Graham

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.