The Café Brulot Diabolique

Do you like your coffee burnt? Try the specialty in New Orleans or prepare it at your own risk

Café Brulot Diabolique, or “Devilishly Burned Coffee,” was invented at Antoine’s Restaurant in the late 1880s by Jules Alciatore, the son of the restaurant’s founder. According to Phillip Collier’s Mixing New Orleans, Alciatore was inspired by French bon vivants who would drown a sugar cube in Cognac and place it over an open flame before extinguishing it in a cup of hot coffee. Today, you can still find the drink in New Orleans at restaurants including Antoine’s, Galatoire’s and Arnaud’s.

Paul Broussard

Making Cafe Brulot - James at Arnaud's

The preparation of Café Brulot is something like a magician’s show. Outside of the flambeaux at a Mardi Gras parade, there’s nothing like it. All ingredients are artfully combined tableside in ornate bowls. After adding the alcohol, the waiter lights the concoction and – to the delight of the guests – proceeds to ladle the flaming liquid into cups. If you try your hand at recipe below, have a fire extinguisher handy – just in case or stop by one of places that specializes in this concoction.

Café Brulot Diabolique Recipe

2 sticks cinnamon
8 whole cloves
peel of 1 lemon
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
3 oz. brandy
3 cups strong black coffee

Put the cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel, sugar and brandy in a fireproof bowl and heat on open flame. When the brandy is hot, but not boiling, bring the bowl to the table and ignite with match. Use a ladle to stir and pour the liquid around the bowl for 2 minutes. Pour the hot coffee into the flaming brandy and ladle the mixture into demitasse cups.

Making Cafe Brulot - James at Arnaud's

Where to Get a Café Brulot Diabolique

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