Swedish Egg Coffee

[Donquixote]

Hey, AB-ers!

I was told about 'Swedish Egg Coffee' the other day, whereby coffee is clarified, consomme style, with egg - and the eggshell is also added in order to neutralise some of the acids. I've just given it a go this morning...
...and it's SUPERB!!!
It's a beautifully clear, mellow coffee with far fewer of the bitter aftertones I usually get (I use Lavazza coffee).

Has anyone else ever tried this, or does anyone have any of their own variations?

Don

[Gnawer]

Here are some that have...

http://aforum.genealogi.se/discus/messages/245 0/45706.html?1126129306

[swedeheart]

"Swedish Egg Coffee"... as a Swede I have to say I think that qualifies as ethnic defamation;-) Personally I have never ever heard of such a monstrosity and just to make sure I called my old aunt as well (born in 1928) and neither had she, I'm happy to say. I also googed '�ggkaffe' which is what it would have been called had it been a Swedish beverage, but Google was quite on my side.

Until.

Until I found this photo on Flickr =:O

... 'pparently it's a religious thing... Another site gave "long a tradition in Lutheran church gatherings of Scandinavian-Americans in the Midwest" - I can only conclude it's a Lutheran form of flagellantism... ...one that you won't find many Swedes in Sweden practising.

...but I'm glad you like it, of course:) Here's a recipe. And should you ever tire of it, why not give weasel coffee a go...

[swedeheart]

PS sorry Gnawer I got so carried away defending my country I forgot to check the facts in your thread... I'll read it now!

[heathfield]

Adding eggshells to coffee grounds is an old trick to reduce the bitterness of some blends. Apparently widely known of by cowboys on cattle drives in the US. Tip - if the coffee is bitter, add a tiny pinch of salt. It does the same as the eggshells, but salt is somewhat more available.

[swedeheart]

Hope I didn't sound too harsh yesterday Donquixote - if I did it was as a result of trying to be funny while feeling queasy - don't try that at home ha ha...

That's interesting, heathfield!

[Donquixote]

Cheers all, great answers!
Don't worry swedeheart (nice pun), i was laughing as i read your posts so they had the desired effect! It's quite interesting though, i spoke to a Swedish friend of mine and she'd never heard of it either. It does seem to be a Lutheran Swedish-American peculiarity... still tastes blooomin' good though! :o)
The salt idea's interesting too, Heathfield. I wonder whether it would taint the coffee though. I'll give it a go and find out!

Don

[samuel23]

Yuk pass the bucket!!! lol. Sounds awful, but as a dedicated masochist I'm gonna give it a go. If I don't post again, you'll know it got me.

[Donquixote]

Oh, and i've heard of the civet coffee before. It sounds bizarre, i'm dying to try it!
Apparently when Stephen Fry was invited to the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla he was told it was customary to take the couple a gift and, having no idea what to give the man who has everything, he presented the Prince with a bag of civet coffee. The world is a strange, strange place.

[samuel23]

Bl00dy hell !!!!
Civet coffee, just googled it and you'll never believe the price. I could buy my own plantation and a dozen weasels for just one bag.

[swedeheart]

Stephen Fry as the wicked fairy wedding guest ha ha ha...

[Donquixote]

Go for it samuel!
The egg is purely functional, it imparts no flavour whatsoever, it simply clarifies the coffee and makes it surprisingly smooth.

That civet coffee's really got me. Anything that bizarre and over-priced has to be tried at least once...i HAVE to find some!!!

[swedeheart]

Kinda gives a whole new meaning to this...


good to the last dropping