The Best Cup of Really Strong Coffee Made Easy

A close friend of mine is from Latvia and, like me, loves a really strong cup of coffee. When she was visiting recently, I made some espresso for us. It was robust and delicious… but not strong enough for her.

In Latvia and many countries in Eastern Europe, people drink their coffee with the ground still in the coffee, in the cup, and eventually in their mouths. My friend told me that’s the only way to enjoy a full-bodied cup of joe. Being a person who is open to other cultures and their ideas, I tried. Believe me, I tried to get used to drinking coffee ground-in. The taste is unlike American espresso (if such a thing exists)… it is intense but not bitter; it’s rich but not muddy. But for me the grounds ruin the experience.

So I tried a little experiment and created a sensation (at least for me personally):

Put two heaping tablespoons of espresso in a large coffee cup.

Fill the cup with boiling water.

Stir and allow to sit for one to two minutes.

THEN, pour the coffee and grounds through a filter into a fresh cup.

I sometimes add milk to my espresso making it a café latte (sort of...); these are even better using this method. Also, I use only Café Bustello because I find this has the best flavor.

If you are an intense coffee lover, try this and let me know what you think.