The Wellington's orchard
BOTTLED ICE COFFEE
After the Tinto de Verano, the other drink that unleashes the most passions during the hot months is the typical iced coffee. In Fred , a company started by two twin brothers from Barcelona, have given this old custom a twist; They have been inspired by the bottles of cold coffee that was served in the bar of their town when they were little, and thus, with this retro outburst, they present an artisan coffee ready to drink with ice. They prepare it cold following the so-called cold brew process. -macerating ground grains in cold water for 24 hours-. That is the retro novelty, that since the ice is already cold, it will not melt as easily as when we add the boiling coffee and, most importantly, that we save ourselves the sticky ritual of transferring the coffee from the expresso cup to the glass with ice. .
As a good craft process worth its salt, they only use selected coffee beans that vary depending on the season ; they are ground in a traditional family roaster in Barcelona that has not changed its working methodology since 1919; and it is bottled by hand in jars similar to those used in apothecaries, as if it were the best remedy for heat. A delight to drink alone or mixed with milk... you just have to read the leaflet and apply the recommended dose in each case or simply get carried away by the need of the moment. In Madrid you can find them in places like Federal Café _(Plaza de las Comendadoras, 9) _ or the gourmet area of El Corte Inglé yes
cold brew coffee
THE URBAN GARDEN ON THE ROOF OF A HOTEL
That someone sets up their little urban garden on the terrace of the house or in a corner of the attic -in the most fortunate cases-, is already something more than usual. But for a hotel like the ** Wellington ** (Velázquez, 8) to do it, one of those posh and formal suits even for morning coffee, is now less common. At least in Spain, because in cities like New York or Paris it is customary.
The point is that the rooftop of this magnificent hotel hides an urban garden of more than 300 square meters -the largest in the world installed on the roof of a hotel-. And it is not a joke or a capricious luxury, but it is about 14 ecological terraces in which around 4,200 units of 35 different varieties of vegetables, fruit and vegetables are grown , with which they then prepare the dishes on the menu: red thistle, tomatoes, strawberries, aubergines, cucumber, zucchini, Swiss chard, asparagus from Navarra, various types of lettuce (hello oak, lollo rosa, lettuce hearts…), garlic sweet peppers, Padrón peppers, aromatic herbs... This really is 'haute horticulture', and furthermore, with unbeatable views from the Madrid sky.
The Wellington's orchard
PREMIUM DRINKS WITH HOME MADE ALCOHOL
what it does macerate _(San Mateo, 21) _ is nothing new: macerating alcohol with aromatic herbs, spices and fresh seasonal fruits, following the traditional method for making traditional homemade pomace. The difference is that instead of making liqueurs for drink in shots, Narcissus Bermejo, His bartender prepares the base for his premium drinks and signature cocktails with them, recovering the original essence of the cocktails and forgetting about brands (and this is evident in the price, which is lower than usual).
Right there, at the back of the premises, he has his workshop-distillery, and the result is a letter with more than 20 natural distillates, from the gin ' good cinnamon ’, macerated with cinnamon; the ' Licorice, I will not tell you more ’, with licorice root sticks; or the Saw I need you , macerated with aromatic herbs from the mountains, such as thyme and rosemary. And of course, such homemade alcohol could not be adulterated with an industrial soft drink; That is why even the tail is handmade! It is in Malasaña, how could it be otherwise.
Alcohol macerated at home
NATURAL BEERS
What of the craft beers it is the most repeated DIY case in the gastronomy of the city; And not only on a professional level, but also individually, because anyone can make them at home with a home brew kit. But since getting involved in malting barley and processing hops at home can be a hassle, just go to mad brewing _(Julián Camarillo, 19) _ and enjoy the authentic spirit of Yankee breweries, that is, an industrial-style space where beer is brewed, beer is tasted and distributed.
For the uninitiated, the best thing is to ask for a ‘cricket’ , which is what they call the tasting table of the different types of craft beer they have. And accompany them, without a doubt, with one of the proposals on their tapas menu: if you don't know which one, don't miss the opportunity to try the pork needle sandwich, cooked American pulled pork style. Always a hit.
ICE CUBES AND FRESH FRUITS
First there were the **Lolos** _(Espíritu Santo, 16) _, who came in 2015 to revolutionize the Malasaña neighborhood with their sticks, the ones we've called 'ice' all our lives, only instead of sweetened water they use fresh fruits, natural spices and aromatic herbs. An idea that returned to the first division one of the least valued ice creams of all -for many, almost at the same level as a 'flash'-.
Well, they're not doing it too badly when they've even had imitators, because after **Lolos popsicles, the Tulup popsicles arrive in Lavapies** (Ambassadors, 6), the ice cream parlor that bears witness to this very popular tradition. our childhood. Again, the artisan and natural character of the poles is the most representative: They only use seasonal fruits, without colorings or preservatives, and as a base, milk or water. And of course, the Mexican origin of its creators had to come out somewhere: the Mexican chocolate popsicle (with a spaced touch), or the mango, pineapple and chili popsicle are two good examples of the flavors on your menu to choose from.
Mexican palettes to lick the summer
MORE BREADS OF MOTHER DOUGH
We have always liked bread, but the madness that the sourdough bread has unleashed and that obsession to recover the flavors of before, the ones that you only appreciated when you went on vacation to the town, is something that will go down in the history of the gastronomic revolutions of the city. Never before have there been so many followers of traditional bread made from mother yeast -each baker has their own, that is the grace and perhaps the secret of the success of each one of them-.
Well, so much acceptance is what has made Mother Yeast has already opened its third location in the city _(San Joaquín, 4) _, now yes, in the heart of Malasaña, where everything good is cooked lately, and with a tasting bar to have a coffee with homemade pastries without leaving the workshop. In Moncho's oven Breads are prepared slowly, after a very restful fermentation -about 24 hours-, which makes the flavors nuance within the dough itself and restore its authenticity to the bread. It has about 37 different varieties of bread that, with each batch, aromatize the place and the surroundings of the neighborhood in a delicious way, even with the cheese bread, with a more than penetrating smell and, by the way, spectacular taste.
Toast for breakfast, lunch, dinner... as a way of life