Try an Asiático coffee when visiting Cartagena and the Region of Murcia
Spicy, historic and delicious – give it a try!
The Asiático coffee is synonymous with the historic city of Cartagena, but is also widely available throughout the Region of Murcia and is a "must sample" beverage which anyone wishing to discover the gastronomic essence of this region should "put on their menu".
The Asiático is an alcoholic coffee which first emerged in the naval port of Cartagena due to the influence of foreign seamen during the first half of the 20th century, and although there is fierce competition among local bar and cafeteria owners to claim for themselves the title of the best and most authentic version the key ingredients are always the same: coffee, condensed milk, a liqueur – preferably the locally produced Licor43, sometimes mixed with another beverage - and spices. These spices always include cinnamon and many versions also feature grated lemon rind and unground coffee beans sprinkled on the top.
At the same time, the distinctive glass in which the Asiático is served is subject to little variation from place to place – the glass is thicker than usual in order to cope with the heat of the coffee and the shape apparently makes it easier to measure out the ingredients. Locals maintain that in order for an Asiático to be an Asiático, it must be served in this particular style of glass; if it isn´t, then it isn´t a proper Asiático!
Origins
Almost inevitably for a drink which has become such an undisputed part of daily life in Cartagena, the exact origins of the Asiático are uncertain. For a long time the tradition has been that it was “invented” by Pedro Conesa Ortega in the Bar Pedrín in the village of El Albujón in 1947, but in recent times old bar receipts have emerged appearing to show that the drink, or a predecessor of what is now accepted as an Asiático, was being served in 1940 in the centre of Cartagena.
As for its name, some have speculated that it was christened as a competitor to another drink known as a “ruso” (Russian) in a village near El Albujón, while others are convinced that the Asiático is in fact a “ruso” but with the name having been changed due to the political connotations of being associated with Russia during the dictatorship of General Franco.
Whatever the truth behind its origins, the Asiático has become representative of the identity of Cartagena, and every year the “Ruta del Asiático” is held in which local hostelries compete to be voted as the purveyors of the finest in the city. In 2018 a local political party proposed that the drink be declared an Item of Cultural Interest, although the proposal failed to prosper.
The most important thing about the Asiático, though, rises above the disputes over how it developed or why it was given its name: those who try it almost unanimously declare it to be delicious!
So give it a try, either with a mid-morning pastry or following a meal, this sweet, alcoholic treat is available all over the Murcia Region.
Images 1 and 2: La Solana bar and restaurant, La Quinta Club, La Manga Club
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