McCormick & Schmick's Spanish coffee: Spanish coffee isn't just a drink; it's a performance piece. The rum shoots blue flames, and the cinnamon is added in a sparkle of fireworks. I once asked the bartender at Huber's why the drink was set afire. "Well, it crystallizes the sugar on the rim," he said. "But mainly it's for show." Thanks to the sale of Spanish coffees, Huber's was the largest buyer of Kahlúa in the United States a few years ago.
Sugar
1 shot 151 rum
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
1/2 shot Cointreau
1 shot Kahlúa
Coffee
Lightly whipped cream
Wet the rim of an Irish coffee glass and dip it in sugar. Pour in the 151 rum and carefully light it on fire. Rotate the glass to caramelize the sugar. From high above the glass, add a dash of cinnamon and another of nutmeg so the spices sparkle in the flame. Add the Cointreau, then the Kahlúa, then fill the glass with coffee. The flame is supposed to keep going until you extinguish it with a spoonful of cream.
