🍒 "Forbidden" drink from coffee cherries (that will be your summer discovery this year)
Today, we're taking you behind the scenes of the coffee world to discover a drink that breaks all the rules. Imagine something that has the caffeine kick of coffee, brews like tea, and tastes like wild cherries, rosehip, and hibiscus.
Meet Cascaro – your new favorite summer discovery.
Before we share the recipe for the most refreshing summer drink, let's indulge in a bit of juicy historical gossip. Wild but true: until just a few years ago, Cascara was in the European Union... forbidden. 🚫🇪🇺
From a millennial tradition to "illegal" status
Cascara means "husk" or "shell" in Spanish. It refers to the dried fruit pulp and skin of the coffee cherry. When farmers harvest coffee, they squeeze out the beans (the coffee we roast and drink), while the exotic red fruit surrounding the bean was long considered a waste product.
No, not everywhere. In Yemen (where it is called Qishr) in Etiopiji (Hashara) these husks have been sun-dried and brewed into aromatic spiced beverages for much longer than we have even known about drinking roasted coffee beans! You could say that farmers in Africa and the Middle East were the first to discover its potential.
But when specialty enthusiasts wanted to bring Cascara to Europe, they hit a bureaucratic wall. The EU classified it as a so-called "Novel Foods" (novel foods). Since there was no official history of consuming these husks in Europe prior to 1997, authorities prohibited their sale until appropriate studies could prove they were completely safe. After years of testing and bureaucratic battles, the EU finally gave the green light in 2022. Cascara is officially legal and ready to take over your cup! 🎉
Why is it considered a superfood? 🍒✨
Cascara is not only sustainable (as it turns a waste product into a wonderful raw material), but it is also a true health powerhouse:
Full of antioxidants: It contains a vast amount of polyphenols that protect your body from free radicals.
Gentle caffeine: It contains less caffeine than traditional coffee, but just enough to give you a pleasant, gradual boost without the "coffee jitters."
Immune system support: It has anti-inflammatory effects and a beneficial impact on digestion.
🍹 Recipe: Summer Cascara Cold Brew (Maximum Refreshment!)
Pozabi na klasične ledene čaje iz trgovine, polne sladkorja. To poletje si pripravi nekaj unikatnega.
What do you need?
- 20 g of dried Cascara
- 400 g cold water
- A few drops of lemon juice or a slice of orange
- Ice cubes
Process:
- Put the Cascara into a glass pitcher and pour cold water over it.
- Close the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator for 12 to 16 hours. (In the meantime, cold extraction will take place, drawing an incredible sweetness from the fruit).
- Easily strain the liquid through a sieve.
- Add ice to a glass, pour in your Cascara Cold Brew, add a slice of orange or a squeeze of lemon for freshness and... enjoy the sun! ☀️
Sometimes we need to look at things from a completely new perspective to notice their true value. In the world of coffee, all it took was turning the bean over and looking at its husk to discover something incredible. Let it surprise you this week where you least expect it! ✨
Team coffeetime.si ☕✨