Season 5 of Netflix's beloved rustic romance Virgin River is here, and you know what means: The quaint California town's resident chef and most eligible bachelor John "Preacher" Middleton is whipping up his signature "just like mama made it" dishes. Played by Hallmark star Colin Lawrence, Preacher is the brain behind Jack's (Martin Henderson) bar and restaurant, serving up comfort food with a twist season after season. So when he debuted café de olla, a traditional Mexican spiced coffee, our ears pricked up. Lo and behold, this cozy, cinnamon-scented staple is like autumn in a mug.
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Café de olla, which translates to "pot coffee," crops up in Virgin River Season 5, Episode 5, when Preacher serves it in a traditional clay pot to his new paramour Kaia (Kandyse McClure, Battlestar Galactica). Authentic café de olla is prepared with dark roast coffee, cane sugar and cinnamon for a rich, earthy brew with just enough sweetness. You can add orange peel for a bit of zing, or cloves for an even sharper spice. However you take it, café de olla is sure to make your fall rotation — right alongside those cozy sweaters and throwback rom-coms. Here's an easy recipe you can replicate at home when the air starts getting a little cooler.
Café de Olla Recipe
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Ingredients:
- 6 Cups Water.
- 2/3 Cup Dark Roast Coffee Grounds.
- 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar. This is a substitute for piloncillo, or unrefined cane sugar cones traditionally used in café de olla. You can find piloncillo online, or use whatever brown sugar you've got in your pantry.
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks.
- Optional: 1 Star Anise. This aromatic little addition is sweeter than regular anise seeds.
- Optional: 2 Whole Cloves. These add a lovely warm spice to the flavor profile.
- Optional: Orange Peels, to taste. A couple of 2-inch-wide peels will do just fine for a punch of citrus.
Directions:
- In a medium pot, add water, brown sugar (or piloncillo), cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves. Bring to a low simmer until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Cook over low-medium heat for 5 minutes, careful not to let it boil.
- Remove from the heat and stir in coffee grounds and orange peels. Cover and let steep for an additional 5 minutes.
- Strain the mixture and serve in a mug. (If you've got them, traditional clay mugs actually develop the flavors of café de olla after it's brewed.)
And, there you have it — a piping-hot coffee with a little more oomph than your friendly neighborhood PSL.
