Ingredients
Coffee
- 60 gFogo coffee beans, dark roasted
- 800 mlwater, just off the boil
To serve
- sugar, generously
- small cups
- grogue, a splash, optional
Equipment
- a cloth filter or a pour-over cone
- or a stovetop moka pot
- a burr grinder
Directions
- Grind only what you are about to brew. Use a burr grinder for an even grind.
- Fill the base with water to below the valve.
- Fill the basket with ground coffee. Level it but never tamp it down.
- Put it on the stove over a medium heat. It should flow in a steady dark stream.
- Take it off as soon as it gurgles and pales. Run the base under cold water to stop it.
- Pour it out at once into cups. Use a medium-coarse grind for that. Wet the grounds and let them bloom.
- Pour it out into small strong cups. People farm there anyway because the soil is good.
Technique
- Fogo is an active volcanic island and coffee has grown on its slopes since the eighteenth century.
- The crop is very small and is mostly drunk within Cape Verde rather than exported.
Substitutions
- Any dark-roasted arabica brews the same way if Fogo coffee is unavailable.
- A cloth filter, a pour-over cone or a moka pot all work for it.
Variations
- Some drinkers add a splash of grogue, the local cane spirit, to the cup.
- Coffee is roasted at home in a pan in some households on the island.
- Cape Verde also grows a small quantity of wine on the same volcanic slopes.
History
Coffee has grown on Fogo since the eighteenth century in the shade of the volcano’s slopes, a small crop prized locally over export.
Frequently asked questions
What is Café do Fogo?
Café do Fogo is a drink from Cape Verde: arabica grown on volcanic slopes, roasted dark and drunk strong. Coffee has grown on Fogo since the eighteenth century in the shade of the volcano’s slopes, a small crop prized locally over export.
How long does Café do Fogo take to make?
Café do Fogo takes 10 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Café do Fogo?
Yes, within limits. Any dark-roasted arabica brews the same way if Fogo coffee is unavailable. A cloth filter, a pour-over cone or a moka pot all work for it.
What is the most important thing to get right in Café do Fogo?
Fill the basket with ground coffee. Level it but never tamp it down.
