One of the great Vietnamese culinary pleasures is having a cup of inky coffee with condensed milk. Sipping on a cup of the caramely bittersweet coffee, all rich and creamy from the condensed milk, awakens my senses (literally) and reminds me of hot, humid mornings in Saigon when I’ve sat down to a breakfast of coffee and pho noodle soup. (I once met a German man in Vietnam who claimed that caffeine is good for hot climates as your blood vessels constrict and you can tolerate the temps better. Thoughts, anyone?)
At home in the States, I don’t have time to linger and wait for the coffee to drip from the flimsy metal contraption (which seems to fail me 1 out of 3 times). Nor, do I pop into a coffee shop for a Viet fix either. “It’s cheaper and more convenient to drink at home” is my motto. For that reason, over the years, I’ve made Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk in my home kitchen with an electric coffee maker, grinding the beans extra fine to ensure a dark, heady brew. The coffee has always been very good. On a scale of 1 to 10, it was consistently an 8.
For the past couple of months, however, I’ve been able to enjoy a morning cup of Vietnamese coffee that’s more like a perfect 10. How? Using this brilliantly strange coffee maker called the AeroPress and a Capresso burr grinder. Here's the low down:
AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
This portable, lightweight coffee maker costs less than $30. The AeroPress is not sexy whatsoever, and is made from thick plastic and rubber, resembling a kid’s chemistry kit. In fact, the AeroPress was invented by Alan Adler, the inventor behind Aerobie frisbees, yo-yos, and other plastic and rubber sports toys. (Stop giggling!)
A barrista would shudder at the look of the AeroPress. However, it quickly makes a super smooth, rich cup of coffee in less than a minute. The bitterness from the beans is eliminated during the coffee making process. And, you can reuse the little paper filter several times. As Rory demonstrates below, this is what you do:
(1) Freshly ground coffee goes into the wide-mouth funnel designed to neatly allow
you to deposit the coffee into the plastic tube. (2) The funnel is removed and
hot (not boiling) water is added. (3) Then you stir with the AeroPress's funny stick,
again designed so that you have a spatula-like tool but it does not touch bottom.
Stirring prevents the coffee from becoming overly compacted before you plunge.
(5) Pushing on the plunger is a minor workout. You apply even pressure and
at the end of the line (6) are nearly hugging the plunger. Keep the pressure
steady though the thing will feel like it's going to explode. At the hiss, there is a
release of pressure and the plunger goes all the way down.
You can wash the filter and reuse it, if you like. We use 1 filter for our two morning cups. Our friends Alec and Michelle have used 1 filter for 4 cups when we've stayed over. You can make the coffee in a measuring cup or directly into your coffee cup. The unit also travels well; just heat up water in the hotel room's coffee maker and bring pre-ground coffee.
I love the flavor of coffee and the jolt that it gives me. With the AeroPress, even though we make the equivalent of 2 shots of espresso for each of us, the jolt is not so hard that it torments my stomach with pain. Neither does my morning cup of Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk make me overly surly.
The AeroPress is funny because it's got a high-tech design but the process of making the coffee is pretty low tech. The traditional Vietnamese coffee filter system is a beloved ritual but for mornings when I need my caffeine fix quickly, the Aeropress is the perfect race-car solution.
Capresso Infinity Burr Coffee Grinder
The AeroPress didn’t cost much and for the first couple of weeks, we grinded our beans with our trusty inexpensive Krups blade grinder. The coffee tasted great but Alec, our friend who turned us on to the AeroPress to begin with, suggested that we switch to a burr grinder because the burr (has Jawslike teeth) grinding mechanism evenly grinds the beans for a better tasting cup. Rory investigated all the options and the best value and performer turned out to be the Capresso Infinity conical grinder. It’s an investment for us, but then, we mostly drink coffee at home and figure the investment is worth it. The black Capresso grinder is much less expensive than the stainless steel one. They both work the same.
You can dial in how finely you want to grind the beans and the timer allows you to fill up the container on the top and grind just the amount you want – kind of like grinding to order. We estimate that 1 scoop (using the AeroPress scoop) takes about 3 ½ seconds to grind in the Capresso Infinity when the grinder is set toward the larger end of extra fine (see the grinder).
Alec was right. The burr grinder produced a tastier cup than the Krups grinder. Now that I’m drinking a perfect 10 cup of Vietnamese coffee each morning, the old electric coffee maker has been stashed away in the garage and the old grinder is being used for grinding spices.
Recipe
Vietnamese Coffee with Condensed Milk
Cà-phê Sữa
1 tablespoon condensed milk (see below for tips on buying condensed milk)
2 shots of espresso from AeroPress*
Hot water, as needed
Put the condensed milk in a cup. Add the coffee and stir to combine. Taste and add extra hot water to dilute, if necessary. When you’ve arrived at the perfect “10”, make a note of the color. That’s what you want to aim for in the future. For iced Vietnamese coffee, pour your concoction into a tall glass filled with ice, stir, and enjoy.
* If you don’t have an AeroPress, substitute ¾ cups of really really strong coffee.
Related information:
What kind of coffee is good for Vietnamese coffee?
I like a dark roast that’s got a touch of mellowness. Right now, Rory is blending 1:1 Trader Joe’s Volcano with Peaberry or Moka Java. Experiment with your favorite. Or, go with the Vietnamese standard of Café du Monde coffee with chicory. It’s usually stocked right next to the condensed milk at a Vietnamese market. I’ve not tried any of the Trung Nguyen coffee from Vietnam; Trung Nguyen is like the Starbucks of Vietnam.
What brand of condensed milk works well?
If you shop at Vietnamese markets, stock up on the Longevity brand of milk. There’s an old man on the label (see the photo at the top of this post). It is more expensive than other brands because there’s real milk in the can. No filler junk. Check the labels carefully when buying condensed milk. Condensed milk made with whole milk is superior to the cheapie rest of the pack. At a regular supermarket, check the labels and look for a whole milk version, like Borden/Eagle Brand.
Carolyn Jung
I've loved the AeroPress since I wrote a story about it and its inventor in the Mercury News a few years ago. Since I only have the one cup of coffee in the morning, it's a super efficient and quick way to make it. Works like a charm!
Andrea Nguyen
Carolyn, so how did Alder go from sports toys to coffee maker?
Michelle
Yay, AeroPress! You already know we LOVE our AeroPress. Glad to see you and Rory are enjoying its benefits, too. My favorite thing about it is that it makes delicious coffee very easily; my second favorite thing is that it's super-easy to clean and store. When we housesit at my mother-in-law's place, we use her french press pot, but cleaning it out is almost (ALMOST... but not quite) a deterrent to using it (we already burned our stovetop espresso pot there). At least when we clean the french press, we dump the coffee grounds onto the plants in her yard.
Andrea Nguyen
Michelle, we're going to NYC in a couple of weeks and I'm thinking of taking it with us!
Johnny
Just a clarification - condensed milk is also known as sweetened condensed milk. Don't mix the condensed milk with evaporated milk...which my wife has made the mistake of buying at the supermarket instead of the sweetened version.
Oliver
Andrea, this looks AMAZING!
I used to LOVE aerobie frisbees as a kid. They turned a lanky, hopelessly uncoordinated kid into a pro-ultimate frisbee player.
If this coffee machine works half as well, I`m totally sold!
Andrea Nguyen
Ooh, evaporated milk will turn your coffee into a yucky beverage that sticks to the roof of your mouth. Good point, Johnny!
Oliver, I noticed that Wired magazine in the April 2009 issue included the Aerobie Aeropress as a way to get around the $3 latte world. Great cost-saving tool, and kinda geeky cool.
Shirley
I've tried Trung Nguyen coffee and other brands during my visit in Vietnam. So far, Trung Nguyen is consider the best. Is there any better brand for making a good Vietnamese cup of joe?
V.
To make a better Vietnamese coffee,mix Trung Nguyen No5 with Highland Coffee. Very nice combination!
Diane
Just got an aeropress - based solely on your rec - and love it. Thanks!
Andrea Nguyen
@Diane -- My pleasure. I use (or my husband uses) the Aeropress every morning. Just ordered 350 more filters.
@V.: Great tip on blending the coffee. A belated thank you!
Les
I would have to say the German gentleman got it right for the wrong reason regarding the benefit of caffeine in hot weather. Caffeine does act as a vasoconstrictor, so it would defeat the normal response in the periphery to high ambient temperature, which is vasodilation. Caffeine's benefit in hot weather is to stop the breakdown of the secondary neuro-messengers like cAMP, resulting in increased awareness, higher blood pressure and stronger heart contractions--the so-called fight or flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. The short explanation is that people just tolerate the heat better due to the psychoactive effects of caffeine, not any change in vessel diameter, which is actually the opposite of the normal response.
Les
I started using the Trung Nguyen coffee for my Cafe Sua Da and it finally comes out like the restaurants, now!
Propecia online
Is that some kind of joke?
Next the Taliban will be proudly marketting freedom-fighter opium (maybe in 15 or so years, when they're being heavily funded again and praised for the continuous liberation of Afghanistan from terror.)
Incidentally, Rob Schultheis's Night Letters: Inside Wartime Afghanistan is an excellent read. As is, in a different vein, Gabe Hudson's Dear Mr. President.
Chefathome1971
I bought an aeropress and have been using it with different kinds of coffee but it still have this sour taste. Next, I plan to buy Trung Nguyen but I have heard rumor that Vietnamese coffee contains chemicals to increase the bitterness. Have you heard anything like this?
N.
Trader Joe's recently started making a "New Orleans Coffee with Chicory," which is really good. I was skeptical at first, as I find the chicory flavor in Café Du Monde a bit strong (I only like it with ice and condensed milk; I can't drink it black or even café au lait style). But last week my local Trader Joe's had it as a sample, and it was really good. I find it much mellower than Café Du Monde.
Conical burr coffee grinders review
Incidentally, Rob Schultheis's Night Letters: Inside Wartime Afghanistan is an excellent read.
BestKitchenIdea
This looks really interesting. I'm going to have to do some more research on it for my coffee maker pages at http://www.best-kicthen-ideas.com/coffee-maker-ideas.html
BestKitchenIdea
This looks really interesting. I'm going to have to do some more research on it for my coffee maker pages at http://www.best-kicthen-ideas.com/coffee-maker-ideas.html
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That coffee just makes me want to be there...
I'm not a pro but I'll try to make it..
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Jules
I haven't gotten the Aero gadget yet, however, want to try making viet coffee in a regular coffee maker. How much water to coffee ratio should i put for strong viet coffee?
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Trader Joe's now has sweetened condensed milk, in a squeeze bottle! We're also getting a Trader Joe's just outside Little Saigon in San Francisco. On Hyde Street, at California Street.
Jacquee
This makes me miss waking up to a nice cold cup of cafe sua da in Saigon! Can't wait to bring back the memories!!
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The Vietnamese coffee maker which I have is a small coffee pot. It looks like a hat and sits upon the top of a coffee cup. Inside is a chamber for coffee and room for hot water. It is very basic and simple, and works wonderfully...!!
matthew maclellan
i'm new to your work, andrea, but thank you for this advice on the aeropress vietnamese coffee. i found cafe du monde yesterday and used it in the aeropress this morning - so comforting! i bought the banh mi book yesterday, and ordered the pho cookbook. (i first found you through the tofu book).
Andrea Nguyen
Hooooooray that you went this route. I love the Aeropress and use it for my daily cup. Thanks for picking up the Banh Mi Handbook and Pho Cookbook! You'll be well equipped to rock Viet food. Thank you!