Clarens Cafes and Coffee Houses
A day in Clarens would not be complete without wondering the Art Galleries or sipping coffee and watching the town go by.
An early morning in Clarens is a beautiful time to take it all in. The town is still sleeping, the frost is crisp and if you're early enough you'll catch a duiker or reedbuck still grazing from the night before.
One of the best things on a chilly morning is Clarens has to be a good cup of coffee.
Clarens has a variety of establishments who serve coffee made by an espresso machine. However it is the way the espresso machine is operated and the quality and freshness of the coffee that counts.
...Also, how can a "Barista" make a good espresso if they don't taste what they create? A real Barista needs to be somewhat of an artist and definitely needs to taste his/her own work.
So as people all over South Africa have started to acquire a taste for quality espresso, CLARENS MAG has set about sampling the espressos in Clarens and rating them for taste, aroma, boldness, freshness and quality.
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C larens has many Cafes where you can enjoy your favourite cup of coffee with great Clarens views. If you are like us and judge a book by it's coffee, then be sure to read the information over the next few pages.
* The TOP 5 Clarens Coffee Houses
* From the Coffee bean to the cup
* Espresso Tips
1 Valley Cats Espresso Cafe
On the Clarens Square
Cafes are about coffee, but also atmosphere and Valley Cats creates the cafe experience with the best location... right beside the square.
Service is great and friendly too. The coffees are always of a high standard and one feels as though Valley Cats tries harder.
Sit under shady trees and watch the world go by. Fresh Cakes, muffins and great platters are perfect for a Meze lunch or afternoon tea.
Kids can play and write on the chalk board. Make this your coffee break cafe whilst wondering around the square, you won't be disappointed.
2 Baruch's Coffee _ The Millery (Bakery)
Chris roasts the coffee on site, so you know it's fresh. A pleasant and aromatic aftertaste from the espresso should linger on the palate. I got this from a double shot cappuccino which (to us) is the best in town, but not in the single shot cappuccino.
Janeatte or Benji are the most talented. The Cappuccino had smooth, velvety foam, and you could see a rim of crema around the foam...
The Willows Country Life Centre: that includes Clarens Xtreme, Artefunto, Baruch's Coffee, Zula Sunset Deck and The Millery Bakery, is a relaxed and chilled place to have a meal, enjoy the afternoon or watch the sunset...
The Millery is a Wi Fi hotspot with Download speeds of 0.4 Mb/s and Upload speeds of 0.2 Mb/s. Your 1st 20Mb or 1hr is free, and 25c/Mb thereafter.
The perfect Espresso
It begins with the Bean.
Coffee comes in all flavours and varieties and not all are created equal. 75% of the coffee produced worldwide is Arabica. It has more flavour and aroma than the Robusta bean.
For a good espresso, you need Arabica beans grown at high altitude. These are called Milds. The cheaper option is for Brazils, also grown from Arabica plants except at lower altitudes.
Next... The Roast
In South Africa we keep the terms straight forward. Light, Medium and Dark. A light roast has a cinnamon colour, is more acidic and contains the most caffeine. The lighter the roast the less caramelized the sugars and therefore the sweeter the coffee should be.
Medium roasts are the lightest roast that should be used for making espresso. Good for the early morning coffee, but still have definite kick at the end. Baruch's Roasters in Clarens roast at lower temperatures for longer times, and stop the roast at a dark medium for the Espresso Gold blend.
Dark and Very Dark roasts are typically used for espresso and are sometimes called Italian. The taste should be smoother having lost most of the citrus notes. Too dark and charcoal notes come through.
And lastly... The Draw
Anybody who enjoys the pleasures of a good coffee knows that the Barista drawing the espresso can make or break a coffee. This is largely due to the experience of the Barista and not necessarily the cost of the machine. Factors such as: grind, dosing, distribution, tamping, temperature, pressure, water quality, extraction time and environmental factors affect the espresso's outcome. That's a lot to consider, and is why experience and art play a big role.
Too hot and you'll get a burnt aftertaste. Too quick, and the crema will be light then disappear. Just right, and a glorious hazelnut crema will cover the top and leave a rim as you take a sip.....Aaaah!
3 The Highlander
At the Clarens Info Centre
Type of Coffee: Illy
Consistently decent coffee. Tables outside are a bit uncomfortable, but good views and service.
At the MAG we love our coffee, it's the whole experience, whether you are making it yourself or are sitting down somewhere enjoying someone else making it for you.
We like the best and that goes for service too.
This space right here on the Cafes page is selling for R3000, and it's yours for a whole year...........
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