Stringbean Coffee Cascara

Cascara which means husk, peal or skin in Spanish is the edible, brewable dried skin of coffee cherries (coffee fruit) or qishr as it’s called in Yemen. This sweet fruity tea can be brewed with hot water (5 grams per 100 milliliters of water). Let the cascara steep for about 4-5 minutes. Unlike coffee the cascara can be used three or four times and can be used to bake with.

Whiskey, brandy, rum and vodka all complement the plum, prune, apple cider flavors of cascara.

Breakfast Toddy
Cascara tea mixed a dollop of orange marmalade and 1 1/2 oz. of spiced rum

Cascara Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup filtered water
20 grams cascara

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Let cool and filter through a strainer.

For Cascara Soda use 1 part syrup and 8 parts soda water.

For Cascara Butter mix a bit of syrup with unsalted butter and a squeeze of lemon. Spread generously on your favorite toasted bread.