Moer Koffie

Moer Koffie – How to……

Some say the name comes from the Dutch for “mother”, others say it comes from the Dutch for “sediment”, others say it’s called Moerkoffie because it klaps you awake.  Whatever gave it the name, one whiff can take people right back to their childhood, fishing or wild morning-after days.

The coffee machine / percolator has pushed traditional moerkoffie out of our lives. Most people I speak to remember the taste & smell with great fondness. Spitting out the sediment was just part of it – The experience, that is. Does convenience come at a price worth paying, or are our memories really coloured by nostalgia?

Is moer koffie it worth making today?  Probably not – Unless you go camping.  It’s great for brewing outdoors, where spitting is at least partially acceptable.

When Keith & I were kids I used to love going to his place.  Aunty Anne, Keith’s Mum, came from the Cape & was from a proud Afrikaans heritage. In her home, there was often a huge pot of koffie simmering away on the stove, just keeping warm.  I can’t be sure whether it was her or Uncle Tony who actually made the koffie, but the aroma was delicious – Especially the morning after a party the night before where Keith & I had stayed up late, & helped to “pour” a number of drinks for the adults.  It was notoriously hard to get out of bed at all the day after ….. Staying in bed & sleeping the day away was never an option.

There are many ways to make moer koffie – here are the basics.

Moerkoffie Recipe / Method

  • Buy some tasty, strong ground coffee beans – Whole if you have a grinder.  Read the instructions, but if none are to be had, then you need at least 60g per litre of water.
  • Add ground coffee & the water to you coffee pot & simmer on a stove or fire for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour it through a strainer into coffee cups. Traditionally, these were the metal/enamel mugs.
  • That’s it. Some people add  sweet condensed milk, others add hot milk and many people add both. A shot of dark spirit is great for a regmaker, or to chase away the morning chill.

 

Knack of the Perfect Cuppa

Specific koffie making methods are often passed down through families. Secret ingredients or a specific ground bean might give a unique flavour to a brew.

Water temperature is the single main factor in providing a successful brew. It needs to be hot – very, very hot. Equally, it must not boil. You want the coffee grounds to circulate through the water & to keep it at that pre-boiling point temperature. That is the knack.

Give it a Go

Need a kettle? Click the pot….
Grab some ground beans…

Then visit the Shopping Centre for inspiration. Enjoy!

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