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We get so used to our normal run-of-the-mill lifestyle that we rarely try something new. Spicing up coffee in Africa and I think India is nothing new. But for the Western palate, spicing up coffee is a relatively new trend, or a return of older ways of brewing coffee, I am not 100% sure. But the idea of adding spice to coffee never occurred to me in the many years of drinking coffee. A while ago, I attempted to make the ever-popular “[Dirty Chai](https://peakd.com/hive-120586/@fermentedphil/dirty-chai-mixing-coffee-and)” which is basically a shot of espresso added to one’s Chai. I am not sure if this drink gets much attraction, but in South Africa, it is quite a popular drink. Now, I thought to myself, why not spice up some milk and make some cortados with the spiced milk? And it worked. What an interesting combination. I mean, the chai with espresso worked, so why would this not work as well? But chai is obviously tea, and in this version of this drink, I did not make any tea. I tried to make the usual cortado but with some spiced-up milk! So, follow along with me as I make this very interesting and different drink. ___

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# Spice Mix Cooking is a blank canvas, and here there is no difference. Use your imagination and palate to create something unique and different. In my case, I added different kinds of peppercorns, from standard black peppercorns, to white ones, to long peppercorns (something you do not see that often); black (smoked) and green cardamom seeds; fennel seeds; star anise seeds; cinnamon; dried turmeric root; nutmeg, and mace (nutmeg skin). I toasted these seeds in a pan to “open” them “up” a bit, as I have read that when you heat whole spices, they release more flavour. Whether this is true or not is something I am not sure about, but it does not take anything from me to heat them a bit! After this, I grind the spices a bit, but not too much. In the end, you do not want a powder. ___

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___ # Spicing the Milk Up I then add the milk to the mashed or mortar-and-pestled spices. I slowly bring it to a simmer, barely a boil, to infuse the spices. |![6.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23uQrRrLo38Cp7KNtz6kQ8savPbr5Bb7Cumg4SiMeCTQ7grT82yvBLjMegqZPbsAZbGHD.JPG)|![7.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23u66vjRCBrcybCwTcuTCWTnBcgdYypgEj6i5ehRat2dxWih3YfLosqa4yA5UP5nEQMg3.JPG)|![8.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23u69QriDx7VLyzWJUNPtHYysdHw6fMgGg31QDWRnLoN5UHjNMpwGL575njGv8wMy6Gix.JPG)| |-|-|-| (Don’t be like me and forget to add the nutmeg! I ended up adding it almost after the spices had been simmering for a while.) And it is that easy! I let it cool down a bit to closer to room temperature in the fridge while I prepare the coffee. |![9.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23vi1sgoRWFcQ9Ai55ZsmaDuzWjNe4wtZe85tamRFs8vniMtm4MXEMvwm6wwnm2GxHtRD.JPG)|![10.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23u67LH6wBhRpCUHd5RaDZJRZCagWgjRKQ3xKVwaJmmGrokaJSpDZ1joeS7UWYpTXaSmt.JPG)|![11.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23xVPjm4RFWduru1wzeDxSLCgVJmrMM5E7vsgX7hube8S2T8TTW6gUFuxbGLEEwbeyEnG.JPG)| |-|-|-|

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# Making Espresso (Is Easy With a Espresso Machine) Coffee snobs will have their own way of making coffee and choosing different coffees. I prefer a medium roast which shines the earthy notes not necessarily present when you choose a very dark roasted coffee bean. But further than that, I am pretty easy to please regarding coffee; the stronger the better. Double espressos have become a necessity for me in the morning to just wake up! I digress. How ever you prefer your coffee, mocha pot or espresso machine, prepare the desired number of cups of coffee. Because I used the espresso machine, I have the luxury of steaming and frothing my milk to get it to a silky-smooth texture and to make some “latte art” with it. But if you do not have this luxury, do not worry too much about it! ___

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___ I made four small single-shot espressos in kind of biggish espresso cups. This will allow me to add a bit more milk, which is after all the star of this drink – the spiced milk! After making the double espressos, I steamed the milk, and then I poured it into the cups. And there you have it; it is that easy! Four single shot spiced milk cortados. ___

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___ This is by no means close to being the usual drink, as I have not seen this before. I just had a random idea one afternoon.

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If someone had the idea somewhere else, well done for them as well! I am by no means claiming to be the first to do it, and neither am I claiming that this is my recipe. I just based it off of the popular dirty chai so popular these days. In any case, I hope that you will make this delicious treat for yourself! It is an incredibly spicy, creamy, coffee and a good way to end a meal. I enjoyed it and I am sure that you will as well! Please let me know if you did make this! For now, happy cooking and keep well. *All of the musings and writings are my own. I do not own the idea nor do I know if anyone else has done it before. All of the photographs are my own, taken with my iPhone.*

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