My neighborhood cafe, Caffe Medici, just started a new concept for their weekend evenings that they're calling Medici Notte. During this time, they pull single origin espresso (Rwanda Epiphanie) and serve drinks that would normally be reserved for 4 a**hole judges ( ) at a competition:

Strawberry Moon - Rwanda espresso shaken with fresh strawberries & ice, topped with hand-whipped cream and dark chocolate.

Maya - Espresso Medici balanced with coconut water & dark chocolate, spiced with a touch of cayenne. Served over ice.

The Shiva - Rwanda espresso with a touch of honey, rose water and milk, topped with a cardamom and black pepper creme fraiche.

Vermont - A tantalizing concoction of maple syrup Espresso Medici and milk. Served with a side of candied prosciutto. That's right.

This evening my girlfriend and I tried the Maya and the Vermont and they were extraordinary! The vermont was extremely balanced; the maple didn't overtake the flavors and even enhanced the african components of Espresso Medici. Maya was refeshing...like iced coffee turned to 11. We'll be trying Strawberry Moon and Shiva next week. If you're in Austin, I highly recommend it!

Wow. Color me jealous!

I love Barefoot in San Jose, among other things because they serve a daily Whim of the Barista drink, containing various spices and other fun ingredients (yesterday I had one with honey, half and half, sea salt, and sage, all burnt with a butane torch on the counter before steaming and adding to the espresso, quite delicious). And once they get to know you, they may occasionally go out on a limb too if you ask.

More cafes should do things like this - it challenges your thinking about coffee, the drinks are often divine if a bit much for everyday consumption, and the whole thing is a lovely change of pace.