Wake Up, Mexican Style

Cafe de Olla

The first time I tried Café de Olla, or Mexican spiced coffee, it was definitely not in the morning.

I was at a late evening dinner at Los Tres Gallos, a charming, courtyard restaurant in Cabo San Lucas, hidden amongst the unmarked Cabo sidestreets. I also confess, I didn’t even order this: my Man ordered one in an effort to battle the sleepiness that follows a day of intense sunbathing. But, I think I actually drank more out of his mug than he did. I couldn’t get enough of the zesty, spicy, citrusy, smoky sweetness.

Since returning home, I’ve made this on a couple lazy Sunday mornings. Not only does it perk me up out of my morning sleep fog, but if I close my eyes really tight, I almost feel like I’m back in the courtyard of Los Tres Gallos, nestled among the mango trees. Sigh.

Some Eggie Magic Everyone Should Know. Seriously.

Although I know my way around a kitchen pretty well, I can never successfully poach an egg. Hot water splashes everywhere. Eggshells fall in the water. Boiling action totally decimates any hope of egg white. The yolk sticks to the bottom of the pan, splitting everywhere when I try to scoop it out. The finished result: soupy, frustrated, breakfast-less Grumpy Socks Abbie. It’s not pretty.

But, apparently this morning I got up on the brave side of the bed and I decided to conquer my fear of the poached egg. Enter Smitten Kitchen (a cooking blog that everyone should read). iPhone in hand, I tackled this eggie beast, Smitten Kitchen talking me through the battle. The result:

TAAAA-DAAAAA! Perfectly Poached Eggs. Amazing, I know…

So, if you ever wake up with the worst desire for some eggie awesome, check out the Smitten Kitchen lesson here, and get poachin’. You won’t end up in a soupy, frustrated, breakfast-less mess. I promise.