What Is Cuban Coffee

Cuban coffee is a tradition compressed into a demitasse. It is espresso brewed dark and strong, then whipped with demerara or white sugar into a thick, caramel-colored foam called espumita. The espumita sits on top of the shot like a sweet crown. One sip and the sugar hits first, then the coffee rolls in underneath, bitter and bold and completely unapologetic about both.

The Vocabulary

Cafecito: a single shot of Cuban espresso with espumita. Small, sweet, strong. Cortadito: a cafecito cut with steamed milk, richer and more dessert-like than its Spanish cousin the cortado. Colada: a large serving meant to be shared, arriving with several small cups alongside. The colada is not a solo drink. It is infrastructure for conversation.

The Espumita

As the first few drops of espresso emerge, they are diverted into a cup with several spoonfuls of sugar. This small amount of concentrated coffee is whipped vigorously until it becomes a thick, pale, foamy paste. The remaining espresso is then poured over the espumita and stirred. The sugar is not merely dissolved but aerated and emulsified with the coffee oils. The texture is different from stirring sugar into coffee after the fact. It is thicker, smoother, and sweeter in a way that integrates rather than coats.

Miami is the capital of Cuban coffee in the United States. The ventanitas, walk-up windows at Cuban bakeries, serve cafecito and coladas from morning until night. Explore coffee around the world and you find the same pattern: the most distinctive coffee traditions are the ones built around community, not just flavor.

Keep reading: What Is Vietnamese Coffee, What Is a Cortado, How the World Drinks Coffee.