Avocado coffee drinks can be a creamy sweet treat to indulge in.
BY MAI GAN
SPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Cover photo courtesy of Thought Catalog for Unsplash
Avocados have been in the spotlight since Bill Granger smashed some avocado on toast in 1993. So, how is it that this highly nutritious fruit, despite being a staple of coffee-brunch menus, has yet to be combined with coffee?
In Vietnamese and Filipino culture, adding avocado to a drink—more particularly, a milkshake—is second nature. By freezing the fruit and adding heaps of condensed milk, avocado becomes an addictively creamy and filling dessert. That being said, simply sneaking a shot of ‘spro shouldn’t be too hard right?
Hannah Kaminsky, author of The Student Vegan Cookbook, takes inspiration from Southeast Asian culture and the similar Indonesian jus alpukat by combining coffee and avocado for a delicious vegan recipe. It begs the question: Is it coffee that’s good with everything or is it avocados? We interviewed Hannah to find out how she came up with her avo-latte recipe and the inspiration behind the unusual (or brilliant?) combination.
What was your inspiration for this seemingly unusual combination?
Avocado coffee was inspired by a combination of things. First, I was thinking of a healthier, plant-based take on Bulletproof coffee, since I love the idea of a more substantial drink but not crazy about drinking a cup of melted butter in the morning. After doing some research, I found that there was something similar in Indonesia called es alpukat that uses avocado, but also a generous amount of sugar. My approach is to take the best parts of each concept for a fresh take on the average latte.
How would you describe the flavor to someone who has never tried avocado coffee?
The result is incredibly rich and creamy, edging dangerously close into the realm of milkshakes, while remaining light and highly drinkable.
What are the health benefits of avocado coffee?
Known for their abundance of monounsaturated fats and oleic acid, avocados are essential brain-boosting treats. Blend in the perks of caffeine and all the flavor of premium coffee, and this unlikely union starts to look like the perfect marriage that was meant to be. Even better, this contemporary reincarnation has zero sugar for sustained energy, without the usual midday crash.
Tips to get the best avocado coffee?
For the best flavor, it’s strongly recommended to use an espresso machine and pour a shot of espresso as you would in an iced latte. If you don’t have an espresso machine, cold brew or an Italian moka pot also work (and taste) really great.
Avo Latte Recipe:
1/2 ripe avocado
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 drops liquid stevia*
1 cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled
Ice, to serve
Simply blend everything together until smooth. Fill one or two glasses with ice, and pour the coffee mixture on top. Sip and savor!
*Feel free to use your favorite sweetener here, be it maple syrup, coconut sugar, or good old granulated sugar, to taste.
Makes 1-2 servings
If not for its unique combination, the nutrients and healthy fats of avocado coffee will be sure to attract avocado lovers and health-conscious customers to your establishment—or at least be the hit of your next seasonal menu.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mai Gan (she/her) has been the owner of Adventure Cafe since May 2015. Adventure Cafe closed its doors permanently in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was set to open a third location in the Financial District of New York. AC pivoted to e-commerce and operates as a coffee bean subscription service.
