We live in a world full of cookies. Some good, some not so good, and some that redefine what the future can be. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to take home a box of cookies from Chef Suzette Gresham at Watercolor in Oakland, you may know exactly what I’m talking about.
Well, now until the end of the year you can try this biscotti – in latte form – at The Caffè in Oakland. In another entry to The Caffè by Mr. EspressoChef Collab’s beverage offering, Almond Bisco-Latte, combines the talents of an esteemed chef with delicious coffee and the craft of a barista. The future is brilliant!
To find out more, we spoke to the team at The Caffè by Mr. Espresso.
What inspired the creation of this drink?
Chef Suzette Gresham’s pastries are well known to anyone who has dined at her San Francisco restaurant Acquerello, as an elegant box of these treats arrives at the end of each meal.
When Luigi Di Ruocco, co-owner of Mr. Espresso, asked Gresham to create a drink for Chef Collab at The Caffè by Mr. Espresso, wanted to add her signature biscotti to the coffee drink in a unique, yet accessible way. To prepare the drink base, Gresham crushes homemade cookies and lets them steep for at least 24 hours in whole milk, then strain and add even more almond products.
Who created it?
The drink was created by Chef Suzette Gresham in collaboration with co-owner Mr. Espresso Luigi Di Ruocco.
Does this drink apply any unique or local ingredients?
Homemade Acquerello cookies. Caffè by Mr. Espresso is the only place outside the Michelin-starred Gresham restaurant where you can try these cookies.
How did you work to balance the flavors and create the perfect flavor profile?
Gresham tested several versions of soaked milk for biscotti before she found the perfect ratio of dough to milk. To enhance the almond flavor, she added almond paste and almond extract, creating a unique coffee drink that tastes like a liquid cookie.
What type of coffee was used in this drink?
Mr. Espresso’s Tuscan espresso.
Does this drink work both balmy and frosty? Did this influence the recipe?
It is designed to be served balmy, mimicking the Italian experience of dipping a conventional Italian almond cookie into espresso.
How much is it?
7.50
Thank you.