A day late - Back from a holiday and need to remember that I have a Substack to write.
I, like many people who consume gargantuan amounts of caffeine, consider myself a coffee connoisseur. I’m well versed in making the perfect latté - ideally it’s far more espresso than milk, though Bradley would strongly disagree - and an iced coffee is acceptable to drink all year round.
On my recent trip to Lisbon, which has far more hipster, bougie, independent coffee shops than I had thought, there was a Mazagran on the menu under the ‘cold drinks’ section.
This delightful glass is a cold, sweetened coffee drink that originated in Algeria. The Portuguese versions may use espresso, lemon, mint and rum. Austrian versions are served with an ice cube and include rum. Mazagran has been described as “the original iced coffee.”
I cannot describe it other than it’s this refreshing, zesty, cold drink that is like a lemonade on drugs. It’s definitely a drink that I’m going to make in pitchers for the summer.
Ingredients
Two shots of espresso or 240ml of brewed coffee
Two tablespoons of brown sugar
Four to five tablespoons of fresh lemon (or lime) juice
A few lemon (or lime) slices
A handful of crushed ice
A few mint leaves
Method
Fill a cocktail shaker (or glass with a lid) with the crushed ice.
Add the lemon juice, sugar, and coffee. Shake vigorously.
Serve in a tall glass and add mint leaves and lemon slices.
Must visit coffee shops in Lisbon (and what I had at them)
The Mill - Matcha Latte
Copenhagen Coffee Lab - Espresso tonic.
The Folks: Coffee Brewers and Soul Cooks - Mazagran
Fabrica Coffee Roasters - Tamarind iced tea, very refreshing for a hot day.
Hello, Kristof - Latte
Liberty Cafe Lisbon - More espresso tonic.
My husband and I went to Lisbon (and Porto) on our honeymoon last fall and want to go back!!! Will save this list for future reference 😂🤍