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The scent of coffee freshly made is one of those smells that can transport you back in time to memories and special moments. This year, the International Coffee Organization (ICO) places the objective of this celebration in highlighting the difficulties faced by coffee producers, the threat to their livelihoods and the need for collective action.
According to the International Coffee Day: “Three billion cups of coffee are consumed every day”, being the second most consumed drink in the world after water. Start the day with a good cup of coffee It is probably one of the most common rituals in most of our homes, but coffee is also enjoyed outside the home.
In Spain they are consumed around 14 billion cups of coffee a year and Fair Trade coffee is among the responsible foods most consumed in our country, according to a study by the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
To mark the International coffee day Held on October 1, we take a tour of one of the caffeine temples in Madrid where we delight ourselves by enjoying that pleasant moment in front of a good cup.
More than drinking coffee
¿Donde?
Drink coffee
Calle de la Palma, 49
28004 — Madrid
917 04 93 44
Drink Olavide Coffee
Calle Sta. Feliciana, 5
28010 — Madrid
910 55 98 02
If coffee has become a gourmet product in Spain, it has something to do with Drink coffee. With two coffee houses, not coffee shops, in the city of Madrid, here they teach you to enjoy coffee as a ritual.
Here coffee is roasted, sold, drunk, tasted and, above all, talked about. Espresso, Cappuccino, Flat White (a Cappuccino originating in Australia and New Zealand, with a thinner foam layer), Cold brew (obtained by cold extraction) and a long etcetera are some of the proposals of these two small coffee temples located in Malasaña and Plaza de Olavide.
In addition, they have different training courses for both professionals and amateurs who want to delve into the art of latte art, filtered coffee or learn how to prepare a very intense espresso, among other peculiarities.
Fika, the Swedish philosophy of coffee
¿Donde?
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY
c / Fernando el Católico, 17
28015 — Madrid
Another mandatory stop for lovers of coffee and sweet accompaniments is One hundred and thirty, a bakery and cafeteria in the heart of Chamberí that offers a selection of specialty coffees grown in height and roasted in the own workshop to be prepared both on your Victoria Arduino espresso machine and using various filter preparation methods. Prized for its distinctive taste, great aroma, roast, and beneficial qualities. A careful transformation process with which this liquid is worshiped, which is becoming an essential in the house.
In addition, here they propose to travel to the most remote places in Sweden to practice the fika phenomenon, the Swedish break from the good life, which is done to have a coffee accompanied by something sweet with friends, colleagues or partner. To do this, they make a great variety of artisan products daily.
Your star combination for the fika? The babka, one of the novelties in this workshop, unmatched relic for its intense flavor of chocolate and spongy texture, and coffee.
Chamberí’s first vegan cafe
Without leaving the Chamberí neighborhood, we find another place where we can enjoy a good Ethiopian coffee, 100% Arabica, organic and fair trade; in addition to the variety of vegetable milks (oatmeal, soy, toasted hazelnut and almond, the latter two made by themselves).
¿Donde?
Level Café
Rios Rosas Street, 45
28003 — Madrid
91 598 96 17
We talk about Level Café, the second project of the Hungarian chef Julia Török in Madrid together with Fabrizio Gatta from Madrid, a more informal version of Levél Veggie Bistro (her first project) designed to be enjoyed at any time of the day, with uninterrupted hours from breakfast to snack. The menu is short and very appetizing. Here only natural and fresh products are used, seasonal and where possible – without obsessing over labels – from organic farming.
In addition, to accompany your organic coffee, nothing better than muffins and cakes (lemon, chia, raisins and nuts or orange and chocolate) prepared by Julia herself.
A solidarity cafe in the first luxury hotel in Madrid
¿Donde?
Gran Hotel English
Echegaray Street, 8
28014 — Madrid
El Gran Hotel English, the first luxury hotel in Madrid and a resting place for great intellectuals, it gives us one more reason to visit its exclusive location. To the delight of both guests and visitors, from the month of October you can enjoy here the AMUCC range of organic coffee from Supracafé, a coffee that in addition to being delicious, is supportive.
Supracafé’s organic Faitrade range is much more than just coffee. Behind this exquisite drink produced at more than 1.700 meters in the Department of Cauca in Colombia, there are women coffee growers, victims of the armed conflict in their country, who work to ensure the production of a high quality coffee, very aromatic and with notes to sweet fruits, cocoa, panela and nuts (almond, hazelnut).
A project that raises values and teamwork to achieve great things.
An alarm clock
¿Donde?
Bendita Locura Coffee & Dreams
Calle Príncipe de Vergara, 73
28006 — Madrid
915 63 25 70
The higher the intensity, the stronger the flavor but, contrary to what it might seem, the lower the amount of caffeine. “The caffeine is in the grain, so as it roasts, it burns,” says Diana González of Bendita Locura Coffee & Dreams, a very special space in the heart of the Salamanca district where you can escape to enjoy a good moment of coffee. So if we want to wake up faster, it is best to choose bean coffees with a light roast.
If, on the other hand, we are more of the coffee for a snack, here they will serve you the sparkling wine par excellence: the Cappuccino. Prepared with an extraordinary barista coffee, 100% Arabian quality, laced with care and squeezed in one of the best machines on the market: “Dalla Corte”, with which it is possible to make the most of all the flavor and aroma of the bean. A dense milk foam is added to it and it is sprinkled with a high-quality cocoa so that its flavor is really noticeable.
A colored coffee
¿Donde?
Religion Specialty Coffee
C / María de Molina, 24,
Madrid
91 069 82 21
Located in one of the most beautiful and exclusive streets of the capital, at number 24 of María de Molina, this coffee shop prepare delicious coffees that will not only conquer your palate, if not also your sight.
Share “Blue latte” with blue spirulina powder, coconut milk and a sweet ingredient that they don’t want to reveal; to the «Pink latte» no caffeine or the classic “Matcha latte”. Religion Specialty Coffee is one of the essential addresses at this time to discover news and enjoy a good time with coffee in a very pleasant environment.
Coffee as an experience
In the restaurant Elena House, just 40 minutes from Madrid, they propose to discover traditional haute cuisine with ecological products from km 0 and proximity, in short, live an experience of the Slow Food philosophy.
¿Donde?
Elena House
Calle Nueva, 15,
45592 – Cabins of the Sagra (Toledo)
925 35 54 07
This philosophy is also present at coffee time. According to its director and owner, César Martín: “After all, coffee is the last flavor that will remain in your mouth and that will close the gastronomic experience. And a good meal deserves a good coffee! ”. It is highly recommended to close the visit, to this La Sagra house in Cabañas de La Sagra, with a table where you can enjoy the taste of a good filter coffee, calmly and in a long cup slowly prepared with one of the original vacuum coffee machines, which allow appreciate much more the notes of the coffee in the tasting.
Among its most exclusive varieties, here you can enjoy a Premium selection of La Mexicana Cafes: Kenia AA Plus, Colombia Nariño Tambo, Ethiopia Moca Sidamo, Guatemala Genuino Antigua, or Indonesia Java Wib Jampit.