THE DRUNK REPORT

Though it is not as simple as a regular cup of joe, it is well worth the effort.

1. Use Good Coffee – Use freshly ground coffee beans of a strong variety, such as French Roast. This type of roast makes dark, strong coffee. Skip the coffee that comes in a can. The grind is probably too large and the quality of the coffee beans themselves is probably not the best.
2. Use Water that Tastes Good – If you like the taste of the water that comes out of your faucet in the kitchen, use it! But, if you do not drink your tap water because it has too many minerals in it, or it tastes of chlorine, then don’t make coffee with it! If it does not taste good enough to drink straight out from the tap, then coffee made with it won’t taste good either. In that case, use filtered or bottled water. If you have a water softener in your house, again we recommend that you use filtered or bottled water, since softened water may have sodium in it that can change the flavor of the coffee.
3. Make the Coffee in an Espresso Maker – This does not mean you have to purchase a fancy machine! Most Spaniards have a coffee maker similar to the one in the photo. Depending on the size you buy, a simple stove-top espresso maker costs between $10-$20.
   To make the coffee, simply fill the bottom portion with cold water. Fill the metal filter area in the middle with finely ground coffee and screw the pieces together. Place the coffee pot on the stove and heat until the water boils up into the top chamber and it fills up. When you hear air spurting and the top of the pot is full of coffee, it’s ready and you can turn the burner off.
4. Heat the Milk – Heat milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. In Spain you’ll probably find most restaurants serving whole milk, but 2% milk makes a great café con leche if you prefer.  Avoid skim milk, as it will produce less leche for the café.
5. Mix Together – Once you’ve heated the milk and the coffee is ready, it is time to mix them. We can tell you that the typical proportion is about equal parts.  Adjust to taste, as desired.

In honor of getting back into the swing of things, I thought that this Mexican hangover cure would be especially helpful, and delicious!

Michelada

1 cold Mexican beer

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1-2 dashes of hot chile sauce

1 dashes of soy sauce

1 dashes Worcestershire sauce 

Salt the rim of a chilled beer mug or large glass by wetting the rim and dipping in salt. Mix together all ingredients except beer. Stir well. Slowly pour beer into glass. Garnish with lime wedge. [6]. A common variation includes Clamato or Tomato juice.