Last December, my neighbor Mariana, gave me a bag of Puertorrican coffee to sample. To give you a little background, Mariana and her husband, Pablo, started cultivating and processing a limited production of coffee during the past couple of years, from crop to cup, in Yauco, one of the most privileged eco-systems in the world for making exceptional coffee.  Pablo is a descendant of Domingo Mariani an immigrant from the island of Corsica who came to Puerto Rico during mid- 19th century and founded Hacienda Santa Clara in the aforementioned city.  In the mid 1950’s they stopped cultivating coffee commercially due to the fact that there were only female descendants in that living generation and there was no one in the family willing or able to take care of the business. Puertorrican coffee is one of the agricultural products and exports with the most recognition around the world. Agriculture in general has been declining on the island during the past 50 years, but a new generation of educated and well-informed young businesspeople, with new ideas and new technology, have started to foster outstanding quality and limited production of goods like Mariana and Pablo are doing with Café Cuatro Sombras.

Coffee is a brewed drink made with roasted seeds from the coffee plant.  The coffee cherries are harvested when ripe, the seeds processed, dried, selected and roasted to various degrees to yield the coffee bean that will eventually be ground for brewing to make the coffee drink. It is the third most popular drink in the world, after water and tea. Actually, the processed green unroasted coffee seeds are one of the most traded commodities in the world. The coffee plant has its origins in north-east Ethiopia.  The first expansion of coffee crops was in the Arab world were the first reports of coffee drinking are found in 16th century documents. From there, coffee spread to Italy and then the rest of Europe, South East Asia and the Americas. Legend says that Captain Gabriel de Clieu (French credited for starting coffee industries in Caribbean, Central and South Americas) brought coffee seedlings to the island of Martinique in 1723 and made a great effort for them to survive the trip across the Atlantic (lasted 1-3 months).  After being attacked by pirates, Dutch spies (the Dutch pretty much controlled the coffee trade at the time) and inclement weather that forced them to ration the drinkable water, he valiantly shared his water ration with the seedlings. From there, it is believed coffee plants spread to the rest of the Caribbean territories. He was not the first to bring coffee to this region, since the Dutch had been cultivating coffee in Suriname since the beginning of the 18th century. However, he is credited for being successful at propagating the plant.  As a result, from one single plant, nearly 19 million plants were growing in Martinique by 1777!

Coffee is one of those crops that, like wine, require a combination of certain elements to come together to yield a high quality product, or that at least defines it.  Terroir, or the conditions of weather, soil, elevation (the higher above sea level, the larger the bean), geography and geology of the region in which the crop has been grown, are key elements provided by the microclimate found in Barrio Rio Prieto, in the outskirts of the city of Yauco, south-west of the island of Puerto Rico.  Cafe Cuatro Sombras, is grown in the shade of trees, hence its name. This coffee is made of the highly regarded Arabica bean (100%), Typica variety, grown in the shadow (to keep with tradition of original coffee trees planted in the Hacienda), harvested by hand when the bean is ripe (cafe cereza or cherry) and processed in the wet mill the same day to remove the cáscara or outer shell.  Then the coffee green bean is dried slowly in the sun and eventually stored in a controlled climate cellar from which the coffee will be selected according to size and density.  Once it is ready, the selected coffee beans, (this is where technology comes in handy), are roasted homogeneously (key!) to perfection. Many are advocates to have a DOC , AOC or Protected Designation of Origin, that would guarantee the consumer that the genetic origin of the new plants, the agricultural practices, selection and processing procedures are done according to the highest standards which would ensure a 100% coffee from Yauco soil to the selective coffee buyer.  Cafe Cuatro Sombras is considered premium because of its selection criteria, bean variety, limited production and terroir.  As for its taste, its has a medium body, with hints of pleasant acidity and semi-sweet chocolate and also very aromatic.

I am not a big coffee drinker, but when I have coffee, I like it black (espresso ristretto, pocillo) or macchiato (espresso “stained” with a little frothed milk).

One of my favorite coffee desserts is Tiramisu, which means “pull me up or pick me up” in Italian.  I still haven’t met someone who dislikes this popular dessert.  It is fairly easy to make, but you must have fresh and good quality ingredients for outstanding results.  I brewed some Café Cuatro Sombras to make my version of Tiramisu and it was absolutely delicious!  Make sure Tiramisu is well chilled when ready to serve so that it is easier to to spoon out.  My pictures didn’t turn out pretty, but I assure you it tastes amazing!

Mariana and Pablo, recently opened a coffee roasting facility with a coffee bar in Old San Juan in Recinto Sur 259 (near Hard Rock Café), so next time you are in the area, stop by to sample what Café Cuatro Sombras has to offer. Tel 787-724-9955.

If you mention you read about Café Cuatro Sombras in Foodielady.com, they will kindly give you a price reduction on their 8 ounce coffee bag from $11.00 to $10.00. (Offer lasts until June 30th, 2011)

Tiramisu

Ingredients

6 eggs

pinch salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup espresso coffee, with some sugar to taste

3 tbs Cognac, Amaretto. Marsala wine or dark rum

16 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature

24 savoiardi, lady fingers

sweetened cocoa powder (Chocolate Quik works fine if you can’t find Ghirardelli’s)

Procedure

1.  Brew a little over a cup of good quality espresso coffee.  Set aside to cool with liquor and a little sugar.

2.  Separate egg whites and yolks.

3.  Set a small saucepan filled with water (half way) over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Place yolks and sugar in a heat proof bowl and whisk over simmering water. Water should NOT touch bowl.  The egg yolks and sugar should cook with the heat of the steam ONLY to prevent curdling. Once it is of a creamy consistency and light yellow color, stop whisking and set aside.

4.  Place egg whites and pinch of salt in bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.

5.  Whisk egg yolk-sugar mixture with mascarpone cheese until creamy, frothy and well combined (do this with an electric mixer if you can).  Fold egg whites into egg yolk-sugar-mascarpone mixture until well blended.  Set aside.

6.  Dip ladyfingers into espresso coffee-liquor mixture (quickly and briefly) and start to layer 9×9 inch pan.  Pour half of mascarpone-egg mixture to cover and place another layer of coffee dipped savoiardi (ladyfingers).  Finally, pour remaining mascarpone-egg mixture over second layer of ladyfingers and generously sprinkle with sweetened cocoa powder.   Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Note: you may also layer  in individual martini glasses for a dinner party. They look cute!

Notice: The consumption of raw or undercooked eggs, meat, poultry, seafood or shellfish may increase your risk of food borne illness.