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Cafe con leche different this year?

Antonius Vaessen

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Time of past OR future Camino
2015-2016 VdlPlata - Sanabres
2016.Primitivo
2017 Salvador
2018 Norte (to Sobrado)
2019 Norte again
I am just back from a few weeks on the Via the la Plata. Since 2015 I have been nearly every year in Spain walking caminoroutes I loved the café con leches. This year I did not like them as much, most of the times they were much strenger than I remembered and liked. Is this just me who experienced this? Should I clarify when ordering that I would like the Coffee to be more "milky"
 
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Or might it be that the "coffeeculture" in the Southwest of Spain is different than in the northern parts where I walked most of my caminos?
 
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Felice said:
I was in Malaga, Cordoba and Seville in Jan and Feb and the coffee there was much stronger than I am used to in the north.
So yes, I think it might be a regional difference.
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I agree. We spent some time in Seville a few years ago and didn't enjoy the coffee as much there. They might use more of the terrefacto coffee down there?
 
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I noticed a difference last year from prior years. I believe that more places are switching to fresh milk from the high temperature milk that is shelf safe and comes in a box. I did ask at the churreria that is close to the old Casa Ivar location and they confirmed that they were using fresh milk. In Madrid at the metro station under the Puerta del Sol they were still using the high temp boxed milk and it was like the cafe con leche I remebered.
 
Café con leche generally varies in its recipes from one region to the next -- though a certain particular manner of preparing it has become somewhat common in establishments catering towards pilgrims on the Francès. Not sure why.

Personally, that's not my preferred recipe for it, and I would prefer either a genuine Parisian grand'crème, or a Roman cappuccino.

There's a Portuguese bakery down here where I live on the French Riviera, and they serve one that is similar to your description -- stronger and less "milky", using Delta coffee, it's marvellous. Still prefer Spanish black coffee to the Portuguese though ... I seem to remember though that coffee in Western Spain nearer to Portugal is somewhat similar to the Portuguese. The French bakery 150 yards away has a very decent French-style crème.

But as to a proper espresso, there's also the small Italian place a little downhill from the Portuguese and French bakeries, in Monte-Carlo that is, and it has the best espresso I've tasted outside Italy.

---

Yes, I'm spoilt senseless ...
 
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Another vote for "they just like it stronger in the south". I also found that to be true when I walked the VDLP. Luckily, I like my coffee very strong so I was a happy walker.
 
Keith H said:
The area around Andalusia has an inclination toward stronger coffee due to the Moorish influence.
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Indeed, I agree. I spend time in both the north and the south and there are differences.
 
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Off topic just a bit, just mentioning because I like the cafe con leche as well as chocolate . In the Madrid airport they have cafe con leche chocolates. I bought 2 tins last June for gifts but I never got to taste one. This June I will make sure to buy some for myself as i'am curious to what the flavour will be like.
 
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