Espresso Con Formaggio
Yes, you translated that right: espresso with cheese. Parmesan to be exact. There has been a trend spreading around lately of grating parmesan cheese over an espresso martini (thanks @thebittergringo & @highproofpreacher). My first thought was “hmm… that’s so weird I have to try it”— I’m all on board with unusual (or downright strange) flavor combinations, and as I pointed out in my last post, I’m convinced coffee goes with about anything.
My second thought was some hesitation about the texture of freshly grated cheese. So I infused some parmesan rinds in vodka instead (1-2 days at room temp, coffee filter strain)— all flavor with no textural changes. The elegance of the original serve remains, too. Two oz of the vodka infusion would be overpowering, so I split with some coffee rum (to bring out some other funky notes) and added a little sherry to highlight the parmesan’s nutty flavors.
Y’all: this is SO GOOD. While some willing blind taste testers couldn’t detect cheese outright (without the garnish), there was unanimous ravings about the rich and delicious flavor. I served with a small slice of cheese to highlight the flavor (and come on, it’s a delicious snack). Go join the trend, report back on how awesome this is😉
Recipe
0.75oz parmesan-infused vodka
1oz coffee rum
0.5oz coffee liqueur
0.5oz amontillado sherry
1oz espresso
0.25oz simple syrup
Shake, fine strain into coupe, garnish with coffee beans and slice of parmesan cheese. Cheers!!
Brands I used (*means gifted):
-Vodka*: @neftvodkaus
-Rum*: @javarumco
-Coffee liqueur*: @tempus_fugit_spirits
-Sherry: @bodegaslustau
