Assembly x Rob Dunne — Selfridges 'Fusion' Iced Coffee
by Michael Cleland
The Selfridges Summer pop-up, Market On The Mews, launched last Friday, July 17th, with coffee, beer, flowers, baked goods and a rotating edit of in-store products on show. The market sits behind the Oxford Street store on Edwards Mews and offers socially distanced shopping or seating every weekend from now through summer.
As exclusive coffee partners we celebrated the opening of the market by collaborating with drinks industry consultant Rob Dunne on an oriental inspired iced coffee variation.
Working with the Selfridges team our aim was to reflect the diverse sourcing network and international audiences of Selfridges by fusing western tastes with eastern tea and coffee culture. The result is a take on Yuengyeung (milk tea coffee) that pairs flavours of the spice trade routes with European style filter coffee.
Read down for Rob's recipe:
Ingredients:
- Assam Tea
- Turmeric*
- Saffron
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla Extract
- Caster Sugar
- Tapioca pearls (follow packet instructions to rehydrate)
- Citric acid/ Lemon Juice
- Oat Milk (we've used Minor Figures)
- Under-extracted filter brew coffee.**
*Turmeric, Saffron and nutmeg have well documented links to health benefits including containing antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and even treating depression.
** We found this works exceptionally well with the fruit forward but tea-like profile of the Rwanda - Shyira.
To make the tea syrup:
- Add 66g of tea leaves to 1L of water,
- Mix in 12ml lemon juice, and 1g each of saffron, nutmeg and turmeric.
- Boil hard to reduce the liquid by half.
- Strain
- While hot add and dissolve 125g caster sugar + 2ml (or to-taste) vanilla extract.
To build:
- Into a 12oz glass add 40g of prepared tapioca pearls
- Fill with ice
- 50g of Bitter Tea syrup
- Oat milk to top
- 20ml brewed coffee
- Dust with turmeric
Selfridges: Market On The Mews
Where: Edwards Mews (rear of Selfridges flagship Oxford street store W1A 1AB)
When: Every Saturday and Sunday from 9am