Café Cubano (Cuban Coffee)

Cuban coffee, it pretty much is the Cuban version of espresso which is a very concentrated form of coffee drink that is sweet and infused with sugar. It is usually done in an Italian Stove Top Espresso Maker.

The Cuban Coffee is done with either "Bustelo", "Pilon", or "La Llave" brands of espresso other wise it won't taste the same. In my household we have always used "Bustelo" and it may sound concieted and biased but I think Cuban coffee is the best coffee! Haha!

In the mornings it is usually served as "Cafe Con Leche" in which you dilute 1 shot into 1 cup of hot whole milk and have with some buttered and sugared bread or any pastry.

Cuban coffee just shoots me with a jolt of energy and really wakes me up, it makes me jolly and happy and I get all wierd and laugh tons (must be the caffiene running through my veins). In a Cuban household the Cuban coffee is not something just for adults we give it to little kids to, I remember drinking this stuff since I was small, my mother (who isn't Cuban and wasn't used to this would forbid me from coffee, but my lovely grandmother whom I call "Tata" would always sneak me my shots of espresso then I would get all jolly and hyper)

My grandmother always said that the reason Cubans talk so fast, and have vibrant in your face personalities is because they drink this so often she said (being sarcastic) in Spanish, "Quando llege a Cuba miraba tantos Gallego con los nervios de punta que quando se ajuntaban no solo se entendian entre ellos, y siempre corriendo pa'donde evan, porque en casda esquina se tomaban un cafe cubano" which translates to, "When I arrived at Cuba for the first time, I saw all these Galicians (she reffered to Spanish immigrants to Cuba or those of Spanish descent) running around talking extremely fast they where wired from the Cuban coffee they drank at every corner)

My grandmother never made it with the fancy "espumita" (foam formed with the creamed sugar) she just dumped the sugar in before serving, she said, "Que espuma ni que nada, yo ago todo a lo Gallego (deciendo a lo bruto) a mi que me emporta la espuma chico sabe igual" transaltes to, "What foam? I do everything carefree, what do I care about the foam and what not, it still tastes the same boy" haha I love her.

Today I was feeling a little blue and 2 shots of these revived me, made me energized, and feel a bit jolly it gave me a boost to go and do exercise and relieve some stress, better than drinking some "Mojitos" right? haha.

Ingredients and things you will need:
-Italian Coffee Pot (you know the espresso maker that goes on top of stove)
-Cafe Bustelo or Pilon (the brands used for Cuban espresso)
-water (duh)
-sugar (this is suppose to be sweet)

Directions:
(1)Fill the bottom part up to the first part of the first line on the rim with drinking water.

(2)Fill the strainer with the Bustelo Coffee, pack it firmly in, then connect it back on to the bottom part.

(3)Put the really top part on. Put on stove on medium heat.

(4)Now put about 4 heaping tablespoons sugar (this is sweet remember) it's about 1/2 tablespoon per small tea cup or whatever it's called, mine makes about 8 servings, put the sugar into a small pitcher.
(5)When the coffee pot starts to fill with some coffee, turn of heat, and pour a small amount into the sugar, and whisk it with a spoon or fork to cream the sugar, meanwhile put the pot back and turn heat back on and wait for it to be done.
(6)Now when coffee is done pour it into the small pitcher carefully and the creamed sugar will make a sugary foam on top. Pour into the little cup and savor the moment.
Swirled it a bit so you can see the coffee under the foam blanket