Coffee-Based Drinks

First, there’s no denying that the best cuppa coffee is freshly brewed. Whether you use a percolator, a French press, or you steep it (yes, some still do that!), it should be hot and fresh. Try adding a few grains of salt to your coffee grounds to cut bitterness, and then a dash or two of freshly ground cinnamon either to the grounds or each cup. Now, try these coffee variations!
Vegan Lattes and Mochas

To make the very best tasting vegan latte (traditionally a 1/2 cup of milk mixed with a 1/2 cup coffee), you should heat the milk of your choice before adding it to the coffee. The reasons are two-fold. First, if you added cold milk, it would chill your coffee, and nobody likes a lukewarm cup of joe. Secondly, if you are using soy milk, some brands of soy milk curdle if mixed with hot liquids when they are cold. Try making vegan lattes with soy, nut, and rice milks. Heat the milk gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until just before it boils, then stir into a half cup of VERY STRONG coffee. Add any flavouring you like: a 1/4 tsp of almond, peppermint or vanilla extracts are delightful; freshly grated cinnamon and/or nutmeg; some grated unsweetened chocolate; a dollop or two of tofu whipped cream (recipe can be found in the Sweets section of this website).

To make a vegan mocha, follow basically the same procedure as for the latte, using slightly less milk and slightly more coffee. As the milk is heating, make a simple chocolate syrup :

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup dry sweetener
4 tbsp cocoa powder or roasted carob powder
dash of salt (optional)

Sift the cocoa/carob powder into the sugar, taking care that there are no lumps. Place this in a saucepan with the water and salt and bring to a boil, simmering for two minutes, and whisking constantly. Remove from heat, cool, and store in a covered jar in your fridge for up to a month. Make a vegan latte (as above), stirring in a tablespoon or more of chocolate syrup according to your tastes.

You can make iced coffees using the same techniques, but chill the coffee thoroughly before mixing it with the cold milk. Serve the iced coffees over lots of ice in frosty glasses.

If you’re not a coffee drinker, but the above suggestions sound tempting, try making them with any of the multitude of natural coffee substitutes available today…our favourite brand is a Polish blend of roasted chicory and buckwheat called Inka.