flipComposer's Mocha
Composer's Mocha
Why this dish? Coffee was the fuel of Parisian artistic life in the 19th century. Bizet, a hard worker glued to his upright piano and a great cigar lover, ended his evenings with a strong mocha — the drink of creative vigils and salon conversations, where all musical life was woven.
A strong black coffee, 'mocha' style from the 19th century, brewed strong and served piping hot in small cups, sweetened to taste. The ritual drink that closes the meal and opens the night's work.
Coffee, sir, that's my true nocturnal conductor! When the household sleeps and the score still demands a few more bars, I brew myself one very black, very strong, barely sweetened, and light a cigar. They say the Mocha of the Arabs is the best, and I'm quite willing to believe it. One cup, and ideas gallop back; two, and I stay awake until dawn. Beware of it nonetheless: it makes you compose, but it steals your sleep.
- •Mocha coffee beans — freshly ground, generously (beverage)
- •Water — to cover (infusion)
- •Sugar cubes — to taste (sweetness)
Composer's Mocha
A strong black coffee, 'mocha' style from the 19th century, brewed strong and served piping hot in small cups, sweetened to taste. The ritual drink that closes the meal and opens the night's work.
Why this dish? Coffee was the fuel of Parisian artistic life in the 19th century. Bizet, a hard worker glued to his upright piano and a great cigar lover, ended his evenings with a strong mocha — the drink of creative vigils and salon conversations, where all musical life was woven.
Coffee, sir, that's my true nocturnal conductor! When the household sleeps and the score still demands a few more bars, I brew myself one very black, very strong, barely sweetened, and light a cigar. They say the Mocha of the Arabs is the best, and I'm quite willing to believe it. One cup, and ideas gallop back; two, and I stay awake until dawn. Beware of it nonetheless: it makes you compose, but it steals your sleep.
Ingredients (period version)
- Mocha coffee beans — freshly ground, generously (beverage)
- Water — to cover (infusion)
- Sugar cubes — to taste (sweetness)
Ingredients
- High-quality coffee (ideally Arabian/Yemeni mocha) — freshly ground, 7 g per cup (beverage)
- Simmering water (not boiling) — 100 ml per cup (infusion)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
Method
- Grind the coffee just before brewing, fairly fine.
- Heat the water without bringing it to a full boil (about 92-95 °C).
- Brew in a coffee maker (filter, French press, or the old 'De Belloy' percolation method) with a strong dose, about 4 minutes.
- Pour into small warmed cups.
- Sweeten to each person's taste and serve immediately, very hot, in the salon.
How it was made : The term 'mocha' originally referred to coffee shipped from the Yemeni port of Mocha, renowned as the finest. In the 19th century, it was often brewed 'à la De Belloy' in a filter coffee pot by percolation of hot water — the direct ancestor of our current gentle methods — rather than boiling the grounds as before.
The contemporary twist : Serve it as an 'inverse affogato': a dash of hot coffee over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a sweet nod to the *Riz à l'Impératrice* from the same menu.
Georges Bizet · Charactorium
