The Spanish Coffee is known as “Carajillo” in Spain, likely perhaps for coraje, “courage,” or que ara guillo, Catalan for “now, I’m leaving in a hurry,” an order for both coffee and booze without any dilly-dally.
Born in a place with more festivals than there are days of the year, the Spanish Coffee is served with fanfare in its home country. The classic preparation involves torching rum in a sugar-rimmed glass to caramelize the sugars (which is absolutely an option—see Editor’s Note for tips), a ritual which was made famous in America at Huber’s Café in Portland, Oregon. And while Spaniards might balk at the idea, this version hews to the kitschy American tradition of floating whipped cream (scented with the orange-forward Grand Marnier) atop the steaming drink.