As the colder months paralyze with biting cold, dwindling daylight and wintry precipitation, we find ways to stave off seasonal depression and the urge to Netflix for 12 hours. KAHVE coffee is helping New Yorkers during these harrowing times by combining two of life’s most comforting , heart-warming ingredients: red wine and hot chocolate.
In need of cheerfulness and booze, I pried myself off the couch one snowy afternoon to try Kahve’s ‘ Hot Chocolate Sauvignon”. The wine bar / coffeehouse hybrid who’s name is Turkish for coffee, had a contemporary but welcoming vibe. All 5 or 6 tables were filled and the door revolved at a steady pace. I headed to the order counter and placed my order with the barista. I was interested to see how he would harmonize the various elements in a palatable way so I watched as he carefully gathered and combined ingredients. A pour of half and half, a healthy splash of Turkish Cabernet Sauvignon blend, cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, and white chocolate syrup. He frothed everything in a pitcher, rimmed a glass mug with cocoa powder, and delicately poured the creamy concoction into the mug.
Excitement mounted with a brief moment of hesitation – could dairy, chocolate, and red wine really go together? I took my first sip and was pleasantly surprised. The chocolate was the primary flavor and was rich, strong and creamy. While nuances of the Sauvignon were detected towards the end of the sip. They complimented and enhanced in each other; The chocolate more chocolatey and the Sauvignon more Sauvingnon-ey. It took tremendous will power and the dirty look of a stranger to convince me not to chug it and order another one. But there are only so many $9 red wine hot chocolates one can knock back.
