Smoked Canela and Blood Orange Steamed Coffee

Introduction

Mornings on the coast demand something grounding yet vibrant. This steamed coffee marries the spiced soul of traditional café de olla with creamy barista oat milk and the sunlit perfume of winter citrus from Ojai. Lightly charred canela and rich date nectar yield a velvety, warming elixir ready for a sunlit morning porch.

Ingredients

• 8 oz freshly brewed strong dark roast coffee or 2 shots espresso
• 4 oz barista-blend oat milk
• 1 stick Mexican canela (soft cinnamon), lightly charred
• 1 tbsp Medjool date syrup
• 1 wide strip fresh Ojai blood orange peel
• Tiny pinch of smoked flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp finely shaved 70% dark vegan chocolate (optional)

Instructions

1. Hold the canela stick over an open flame with tongs for 20 to 30 seconds until slightly charred and fragrant.
2. In a heatproof vessel, combine the hot coffee, charred canela, blood orange peel, and date syrup, letting them steep together for 2 minutes.
3. Using an espresso steam wand or handheld frother, steam the barista oat milk to roughly 145°F until dense, silky microfoam forms.
4. Strain the infused coffee into a warm ceramic mug to catch the spices and peel.
5. Gently pour the velvety steamed oat milk over the coffee, holding back foam initially and layering it softly on top.
6. Express fresh citrus oils from a fresh orange peel over the foam and finish with a dusting of shaved dark chocolate and a singular flake of smoked salt.

Cup your hands around the warm ceramic mug, breathe in the toasted cinnamon and bright citrus oils, and let the coastal morning settle in. It is comforting, unfussy, and deeply inspiring.

Emily