Café Brûlot

An impressive after-dinner coffee presentation courtesy of the deep South. For the most dramatic effect, lower the lighting. Coffee brewing time not included in preparation time. From the Creole chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon lemon rind (the colored part only, not the white pith, the colored part only, not the white pith)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  orange rind (the colored part only, not the white pith, the colored part only, not the white pith)
• 4  allspice berries
• 2  whole cloves
• 6  whole coffee beans
• 1 1⁄2 cups brandy or 1 1⁄2 cups  whiskey
• 8  sugar cubes
• 3  cups  strong  hot coffee
• 1  cinnamon stick

Directions

1. Prepare in a beautiful, heat-resistant bowl and serve with an attractive metal ladle (a great use for that silver bowl and ladle hidden in your cabinet), as the brûlot is prepared in the presence of your dinner guests.
2. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl except the coffee and one cube of sugar.
3. Heat the ladle, dip up a little of the liquid from the bowl, add the remaining sugar lump and ignite.
4. Lower gently into the bowl so that the liquid is ignited.
5. While it blazes, pour in the coffee slowly at one side of the bowl so as not to put out the flame; stir gently with the ladle, dipping up the flaming liquid and pouring it back into the bowl.
6. When the flame dies out, serve in small coffee cups.