Café Duskaia is in the heart of the Italian Market and the strong scent of good, mountain grown coffee wafts onto 9th street.
Owner Meyling Moreno's good energy is contagious and today we're making two of her iced coffee specialties.
"This is my dream," says Moreno. "I'm living the dream. That's why I dance every day."
Moreno is fueled by a passion for life - and coffee. It runs through her veins.
She was raised on her family's coffee farm in the mountains of northern Nicaragua, part of a sisterhood of women coffee farmers.
"We had to go to the farm every day and learn everything about coffee farm, starting with planting a tree," she says.
Moreno moved to Philadelphia with a vision.
"I wrote down: I will be at the Italian market in six months," she recalls. "And I'm here. I manifested it."
One year ago, Moreno opened Café Duskaia, a one of a kind Nicaraguan coffee shop in the heart of 9th street.
"I saw how the people love this coffee," she says. "And they see how we make it with good energy and with passion."
In each cup: a story, a sip of culture, a piece of her land.
"I believe in this project and everything is for my people, for my family," she says.
Duskaia means "the well being of the earth."
"I feel very attracted to the healthy life," she says.
Each bean is grown, harvested and cultivated on her family farm. Here in Philadelphia, it's roasted, ground and served fresh.
The Café Colado is the most traditional way to drink it. She uses a cloth to strain the coffee, so it doesn't burn.
Today, she's showing us how to make two of her best selling iced coffees: the Bombon and Coconut Cold Brew.
Moreno admits that cold coffee drinks are something she created for American coffee drinkers.
"To be honest, I never saw these drinks this in my country, but I love to learn," she says. "Nobody drinks it cold in my country. We drink it hot."
To make Bombon coffee, mix a shot of espresso with sweetened condensed milk. Drizzle caramel sauce into a cup filled with ice and pour in your coffee. Top with 2 oz. whole milk or half and half.
Moreno says the Coconut Cold Brew is a fusion of her two favorite things - coffee and coconut water straight from the source. To make this, add equal parts cold brew and coconut water to your cup filled with ice.
At Café Duskaia, Moreno also serves traditional dishes from home.
"People from Nicaragua are so happy because they miss our food," she says.
Her best seller is the nacatamales, Nicarguan tamales. They take hours to make.
"It's a lot of work, but we want to keep our recipes alive," Moreno says.
Café Duskaia
1007 South 9th Street
Philadelphia, Pa. 19147