Souvenir ideas?

[Carlos Diver]

``flaming Mayan coffee''

where do I get one of these on Cozumel?

 

[Mossman]

``flaming Mayan coffee''

where do I get one of these on Cozumel?

Most any restaurant waiter would love to flame a coffee, it's a Mexican tradition. They roll the sugared-rim glass in the fire to caramelize it, pour some flaming liquor into the glass, and add whatever other tricks they know. Definitely more impressive in the dark.

 

[DandyDon]

It's a little unnerving when they do it above your seat. It'd be nice to have a pound of baking soda handy...!

 

[Mossman]

Are you telling me you don't carry a fire extinguisher around with you at all times? Seriously?

 

[ggunn]

Most any restaurant waiter would love to flame a coffee, it's a Mexican tradition. They roll the sugared-rim glass in the fire to caramelize it, pour some flaming liquor into the glass, and add whatever other tricks they know. Definitely more impressive in the dark.

It's not that easy to find any more. We asked at several restaurants last week and none of them serve it. We looked on line and found that they did at Costa Brava, but although the old guy there gave it a good try, it wasn't what I was hoping for. We used to get it at Santiago (now defunct), Acuario (now defunct), Capi Navigante (now defunct), and La Morena (now defunct). If you find it somewhere, let me know.

 

[Mossman]

I remember a little open air bar, only a few bar stools, somewhere slightly south of town on the west side of the oceanfront street (between town and the Cozumel Palace), but that was a few years ago. Cozumel Palace had a guy in the lobby doing nothing but making flaming Mayan coffees. I'll definitely try to get one at Secrets next month, will take pics if I do.

 

[Tunaman68]

Rolandi's still does it at least as of March. It was quite a sight to see while sitting on the patio outside with it raining, and a waiter pouring flame with bits of cinnamon burning and flying off as tiny embers into the night!!

 

[kixy1]

We used to get it at Santiago (now defunct), Acuario (now defunct), Capi Navigante (now defunct), and La Morena (now defunct). If you find it somewhere, let me know.

Hmmm... Maybe there's a reason you can't find it?!

 

[DandyDon]

Xtabentun is often described as Mayan liqueur, but it's made from anise seed introduced by the Spanish, honey, and rum. The honey is produced from the flowers of xtabentún "vines growing on stone" in the Mayan language. It refers to the Christmas vine (Turbina corymbosa), a species of morning glory whose seeds contain ergine and have hallucinogenic properties. I guess it would be accurate to reference is as a traditional Yucatan beverage.

The similar beverage is Balché, a kind of mead, an intoxicating beverage consumed by the ancient Maya and by some of their descendants today - except they didn't actually drink it, rather using a more direct route. They make it in a trough or a canoe, which they filled with water and honey, adding chunks of bark and roots from the balché tree. The mixture begins to ferment immediately. It results in an inebriating drink the people consume during rituals and believe to have magic powers.

Or so I have read...

 

[ggunn]

Hmmm... Maybe there's a reason you can't find it?!

Meaning... what?