The Quiet Chemistry of Egg Coffee
Known variously as Swedish egg coffee or Midwestern church-basement coffee, this method calls for a whole egg—yolk, white, and crushed shell—blended with coarse-ground coffee and cold water before brewing. What makes it so remarkable is what happens as the mixture heats:
Clarification, akin to a consommé. As the temperature rises, the albumin in the egg white coagulates, forming a delicate mesh that traps fine coffee particles and bitter tannins. The result is a strikingly clear, grit-free cup with none of the heavy sludge that settles at the bottom of traditional pots.
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