Coffee
An art and a science
Lucy Malouf
Ionce took a job in a busy Italian restau- rant in Melbourne, determined to learn all about the hospitality business. After a few hectic weeks acting as a 'runner' for the extremely efficient team of waiters, I was promoted to run the bar.
My duties as bar-person were serving drinks but, more worryingly, I was to be responsible for making coffee. In Lygon Street, Melbourne, a restaurant can stand or fall on its coffee reputation. There fol- lowed several days of intensive coffee-mak- ing training, in which I learnt more than I could ever wish to know about the cleaning and maintenance of the restaurant's gleam- ing espresso machine. I learnt, too, about the essential principles involved in making the perfect cup of intense, golden-topped espresso or rich, frothy cappuccino. By the end of the first week I felt fairly confident about the quality of my espressos, but cap- puccinos were still defeating me.
I had to admit that making a decent cup of coffee was not as easy as it looked and I fully expected to be banished to lowly ash- tray-wiping duties again. Luckily, my boss was a patient man. 'Making coffee is both an art and a science,' he said. I did eventu- ally acquire the knack and can still whip up a jug of frothy milk with the best Italian waiter.
Along with the rest of my family, I am obsessed with the quest for the most suc- cessful method of making the perfect cup of coffee. After much experimentation and expense we have all come to the conclusion that traditional Italian stove-top coffee makers produce the most flavourful, rich home brew — I have a shiny new stainless- steel version, more durable than the alu- minium ones and less likely to taint the coffee with a metallic flavour.
The recipe which follows is one of my favourite desserts. Rich, smoky and very adult.
Turkish coffee ice-cream (serves eight)
200g castor sugar '/2 cup water 100g liquid glucose 3 cardamom pods, cracked 100g dark-roastcd Turkish coffee, finely ground 60g best quality dark chocolate 12 egg yolks '/4 cup Tia Maria 1 litre thickened cream.
Place the sugar, water, glucose, car- damom and coffee in a pan and slowly bring to the boil, making sure the sugar dis- solves completely. Simmer for five minutes, then pour the mixture over the chocolate and stir until it melts. Whip the egg yolks at high speed until they are light and fluffy. Strain the coffee-chocolate mixture through a coffee filter into the egg yolks and beat for one minute. Add the Tia Maria and cream and refrigerate for one hour. Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Recipe from Arabesque: Modern Middle Eastern Food by Greg and Lucy Malouf Published in Australia by Hardie Grant Books and available in London from Books for Cooks, 4 Blenheim Crescent, London Wil.
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