Sunday, March 28, 2021

Kopi Jahe from Guest author Emmeline Duncan #giveaway

 Please welcome our guest today, Emmeline Duncan, who has a new series from Kensington that's all about coffee. 

 In my cozy debut, Fresh Brewed Murder, my protagonist talks about one of her favorite ways to turn coffee into a special treat: Kopi Jahe, which is a popular way to prepare coffee in Indonesia. Even though I’m not generally a fan of sweet coffee, this is also one of my favorite ways to make a rainy day feel special by taking the time to brew a cup. There’s something addictive about the mix of fresh ginger and sugar in a Kopi Jahe. The flavor amps up to perfection if you add in cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and fresh lemongrass. But it’s also good with simply ginger and sugar.

 You can make Kopi Jahe by boiling all of the ingredients in a saucepan together, like cowboy coffee, and pour it into cups once the grounds have settled. But if you’re like me, you prefer your coffee filtered, so you don't run the risk of ending up with a mouthful of grounds.

 I tried a couple different ways to filter Kopi Jahe, like my favorite Kalita pourover cone. Also, an immersion coffee dripper, sieving it into a Pyrex measuring cup, even one messy attempt with an Aeropress that it's best if we don't speak about. The experience leads me to recommend a relatively simple method: a French press.


Kopi Jahe

Must-have Ingredients:

6 tablespoons coarse ground coffee (aka coffee ground for a French press)

6 cups of water

¼ cup sugar (I recommend turbinado, but granulated sugar works fine)

A piece of fresh ginger about three inches long, crushed or chopped finely. A garlic press can be helpful here.

 

Optional Add-ins:

Lemongrass (one stalk, cut into thin rounds)

2 cinnamon sticks

3-4 whole cardamom pods, crushed with the back of a spoon or in a mortar and pestle

 

Serve with:

Coconut milk

 

 Equipment needed:

French press able to hold at least six cups of coffee

Saucepan able to safely boil at least six cups


 


 Add the water in a saucepan, along with the sugar, ginger, and any or all of the optional add-ins. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for an additional ten minutes.



Meanwhile, add six tablespoons of coarse coffee to the French press. Once it’s done simmering, add the contents of the saucepan to the French press.

 


 

 Stir the French press, then leave it to brew from four to five minutes.

 


When it’s done brewing, plunge the French press and pour the coffee into individual cups. Add coconut milk to taste and enjoy!

 


Are you a fan of ginger? Does the thought of it coffee intrigue you? And what's your favorite way to make coffee on a lazy afternoon? Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Fresh Brewed Murder, along with a hand-knit coffee sleeve and Portland-made treats!


 

About Emmeline: 

The first novel in Emmeline Duncan’s hipster Ground Rules Mystery Series, Fresh Brewed Murder, came out in the spring of 2021. As Kelly Garrett, she’s the author of the Oregon Book Award-finalist YA thriller The Last To Die and a 2020 Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient. You can find her online at emmelineduncan.com. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook as @writeremmelineduncan and on Twitter as @Duncan_Emmeline. If you look for her in person, you might find her in one of Portland's coffee shops or on a hiking trail somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, accompanied by her Great Pyrenees. 

 

 

34 comments:

  1. I like ginger, but I can't say I've ever had it in coffee, only tea. The lemongrass is the intriguing ingredient for me!

    We are visiting Portland soon, Is Kopi Jahe available anywhere in particular?

    Thank you for the opportunity to win your book! I'm always looking for a new series, and this one sounds great.

    k maslowski at fuse dot net

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    1. You should check out Kopi Coffee House on East Burnside and 23rd. It's an Indonesian-themed coffee house with kopi jahe and fantastic menu of coffee drinks, plus breakfast burritos and baked goods. They're next door to Screen Door, which is a beloved local restaurant.

      Consider checking out Tōv on SE Hawthorne as well. It's an Egyptian coffee shop in a double-decker bus. Added bonus: it's next door to the Matt's BBQ Taco cart.

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  2. My good friend always grinds a cardamom pod with her coffee. I love that flavor! This sounds great, as does your series. Welcome to Kensington - it's a great publishing home.

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    1. Cardamon in coffee is sooooo good. One of the best coffee drinks I had in Israel was cardamon coffee boiled in an Ibrik. I make this at home occasionally.

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  3. Thank you for coming today. Thank you for this wonderful idea for a cup of coffee. My husband and daughter adore coffee. I will send this recipe to my daughter who like to try different things with her coffee. I love to read about coffee houses, etc. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  4. Pretty sure the SU won't do this - not fond of flavored coffee. It sounds good to me. Thanks for the chance to win.

    pjcoldren[at]tm[dot]net

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    1. For what it's worth, I'm not generally a flavored coffee fan, but adore kopi jahe. :)

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  5. Sounds interesting. I’d try it.

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  6. I really like ginger, but have never had it in coffee before. This sounds very interesting. Thanks for the chance to win your book.
    3labsmom(at)gmail(dot)com.

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    1. I hope you try ginger in coffee, and adore it as much as I do!

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  7. I do like ginger on occasion. It would be a unique coffee ingredient. I do not drink coffee so I don't make it. I do like reading about coffee and some family members drink coffee.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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    1. Ginger syrup in tea can also be fun! I'd suggest teaspoon of ginger simple syrup in a cup of tea with a bit of cream (I use Oatly, but real milk or cream would be great).

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  8. I don't use ginger very much. I see all kinds of uses for it these days, I've only ever put a bit in for some cookie or pie recipes.
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Gingersnaps or molasses cookies and lemonade taste like summer to me. :) I love that ginger is great in baked goods, but also fantastic in curries, stir fries, and coffee & tea drinks!

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  9. I love the sound of this. I’m always looking for interesting thinks to do with coffee. Thank you for joining us today

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  10. Karen B
    My coffee making consists of instant coffee made via the microwave! New series sounds "delicious!"
    kpbarnett1941(at)aol(dot)com

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  11. Although this sounds intriguing, it's just "not my cup of tea"!
    I'm not much of a coffee drinker any more. Now it's all tea, all the way.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. Ginger can be fantastic in tea, too! I like making 'tea sodas' in the summer and ginger syrup would be perfect in one. :)

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  12. Have to say, I never considered ginger for coffee. I use it for lots of things, but that never occurred to me. May have to give it a try. Now cardamom is a personal favorite and the coffee in Israel is one of my favorite memories of my trip there.

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    1. I agree the cardamon coffee in Israel is amazing!

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  13. The Kopi Jahe sounds interesting and I would probably try it if I saw it in a coffee shop. I currently use a Keurig, but I would like to try a French Press because I heard that they make really good coffee. Looking forward to reading your book, sounds like a great read.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I really like my French press. Although I tend to use my pourover cone more (my Kalita wave filter gets used daily!)

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  14. Ginger is something so beneficial and I have been using it for years in my tea daily. I enjoy the flavor and the taste greatly as well as the health benefits too. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. I enjoyed learning about your coffee adventure which sounds like something really tasty and perfect. I think that the ginger addition would be wonderful and add just the right amount to make it extremely yummy and satisfying. I like coffee with a bit of light cinnamon but the best would be ginger for sure. Now I will try it since it is Sunday and I can use a hot soothing drink. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  16. Welcome, Emmeline! Friends, I've read Fresh Brewed Murder and I think you'll really enjoy Sage and her coffee-tinged adventures, as well as the trip to Portland. I love dashing a bit of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice in my coffee, or poudre douce, "sweet powder," a blend from World Spice Merchants.

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  17. Sounds interesting for sure. I like ginger, but never thought of putting it in coffee. I'm thinking I may try it tomorrow. Looking forward to checking out your book as well. Thanks for the opportunity. michelle_english_major at hotmail.com

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  18. I love ginger. I've never put it in coffee, though. I do put ground cinnamon in our coffee before brewing. I've also put cardamom in the coffee, but it's harder to get just the right amount in there. Thanks so much for the giveaway and congratulations on the new series! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hmm, I wonder if you could make a good cinnamon and cardamon simple syrup? (Which would only be useful if you sweeten your coffee.)

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  19. Welcome, Emmeline, and congratulations on your new series! I have a stomach that doesn't tolerate coffee, but I still love the smell of it.
    ~Maya

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  20. Congratulations on your new series! Excited to read this book! I love coffee. Have to have it daily! I enjoy ginger in my tea when I drink it. My teen daughter got me into ginger, actually.

    Thanks for the chance!

    jarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com

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