Did you know coffee was brought to Cuba in the mid 18th century but it would take 40 years before it became a big part of the economy, and by the early 1800’s it became a bigger import than sugar? Since then they have discovered that Cuba has perfect great cultivating techniques in an area where the climate and soil conditions produce a very fantastic bean.

This drink has become a very social activity for most Cubans which they take very seriously. It is not drunk slowly like wine, but taken in small shots to obtain the rush of caffeine. By the way Cuban coffee or Café Cubano has usually twice the caffeine as most other coffee beans. The process to make Cuban coffee is much like an Italian espresso but with some unique differences. The most profound is the sweetness. Cuban coffee is very sweet. In fact, it is almost like syrup with a frothy top on it. Similar to Italy’s espresso, Café Cubano starts out somewhat the same, but the added touches make this drink distinctly different. Old-time Cubans make the drink on the stove, but modern chefs create it using an espresso maker. The base for Cuban coffee is finely ground Jamaican coffee beans. They must be ground almost to the powder stage, but not quite. It’s traditional to serve the end product with lots and lots of sugar.