Vietnamese Hot Coffee – Camp Drinking
This Vietnamese hot coffee recipe post was one of our first recipe posts back in 2009. It’s an oldie but goodie.
It’s not that I can’t go anywhere without having my daily, tasty coffee. It is just that I don’t want to. Headaches aren’t an issue, nor do I get all that grumpy without a morning hit of caffeine, however my morning coffees provide a brief moment of calm bliss. Sanctuary lies in a cappuccino with a perfect, velvety foam, Vietnamese coffees (hot or cold – cà phê sữa đá or cà phê sữa nóng), or a simple espresso (maybe topped with a dollop of whipped cream.)
They each have the textures, taste, and calming fortitude to embed a bit of sanity in my soul. A day without one of them is akin to wandering through a crowd and never seeing a smile.
How to Make Vietnamese Hot Coffee
Now that we are on the road and in the mountains, the espresso fixes are a more complicated affair. However the Vietnamese coffee (particularly cà phê sữa nóng – Vietnamese Hot Coffee w/ milk) are as simple as ever. Pack a filter, grab sweetened condensed milk, grind some coffee, and bring a cup and one now has all they need to prepare delicious soul sanity. Don’t forget the stove to heat up the water as well.
Camp Coffee
Since the Vietnamese coffee filters are so small, they work beautifully for backcountry camping as well as the more common car camping accommodations. The minimal extra volume and weight are well worth their space in the pack. The sweetened condensed milk doesn’t need refrigeration, although it does help to repack the sweetened condensed milk from it’s original can into in a small Nalgene or other well sealing container. The coffee, a nice robust coffee (I tend to go for a Yirgacheffe roasted to a nice caramel brown from a couple of our great roasters down in So Cal. or from Red Bay Coffee or La Barba Coffee), blended coarsely then thrown into a zip lock is all that is required.
With my Vietnamese Cà Phê Sữa Nóng set-up (Vietnamese Hot Coffee w/ milk), morning camp has never been so nice. The clean, crisp morning air, cold hands ritualistically preparing my morning luxury, then wrapping hands, heart, and soul around that morning cup of Vietnamese coffee, steam wrapping itself around me like the mists of Avalon. I’m happy.
Now, back to enjoying the great outdoors. We’re taking the pups on a big, lots of creek crossings, hike today!
Todd
The Filters can be purchased here- Buy Vietnamese Coffee Filters . Here’s a recipe for a Vietnamese Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Check out our Cocktail Recipes Here and our Complete Whiskey Guide.
Ca Phe Sua Nong (Vietnamese Hot Coffee) Recipe- Camping Style
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons (25ml) coarse Ground Coffee (use a roast suitable for espresso, the grind the same as for a french press)
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Sweetened Condensed Milk *See Note 1
- Hot Water (almost to a boil)
Equipment
Instructions
- Begin heating up some water on the camp stove (Whisperlite International is our stove of choice. It still rocks after all these years.)
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a camping mug.
- Remove the top screen from the coffee filter. Put the ground coffee in the filter, screw screen back on, compacting the grounds. Place filter on the mug with the sweetened condensed milk. Pour just enough hot water to cover the grounds and let sit for 30 sec.
- Loosen the filter screen screw at least 2 full rotations. Pour hot water to top of filter, cover and let sit until water has gone all the way through filter (should be @ 5 min. at a rate of 3-4 drips/sec. If it is faster, coffees grind is too coarse. If slower, coffees grind is too fine. But by now you are in the boonies. Don't worry about it and fix the grind for next time. It'll still be tasty.)
- When the water is all the way through the filter, stir up the coffee and sweetened condensed milk to combine, place mug in a pan with about a 1/2" of water in the pan to use as a bain marie (hot water bath), and bring water to a boil over camp stove. Boil for a minute or so, or until ca phe sua nong is the temperature you like to drink. Enjoy.
Thank you for the recipe! I always enjoy vietnamese coffee in restaurants so I bought my own coffee filter and I wasn’t able to get it right. But now I will try it again and I’m very excited! Thanks.
I love your blog. I have hard times wording my love for vietnamese cuisines. Your blog entries just fills the words in for me, the description and the dedication to word and to describe the food you eat is beautifully poetic.
I would highly reccommend you try to find Cafe Trung Nguyen. It’s a vietnamese brand and I don’t quite know if they export whole beans or not. But the grounded kind that I do get is rich in flavor and unforgettable. Even now when I head abck to college I bring a small bag with me as a luxury, but priceless, item.
Chez US – Have a great camping trip. For us if it’s not Vietnamese coffee it’s espresso or so version of. Love the stovetop makers. One of my friends live and dies by his.
Manggy – I actually started doing the condensed milk on the go for work. It was a natural transition. So glad I could do you proud!
Jeff – I totally agree. Pho or Bun Bo Hue are the ultimate-hangover remedies when combined with ca phe sua da. Or maybe so fried eggs, pate and toast. Weird, I know, but I like it.
Thanks for visiting everyone. Any other camping or coffee must haves out there?
Have a great week. Todd
I can’t live without my coffee in the morning. Nice idea and I love vietnamese coffee. Also, my favorite hangover cure is the vietnamese restaurant and their coffee.
Great idea? And condensed milk on the go? I’m so proud, hehehe 🙂
love Vietnamese but never think of making it, even though, I can see the maker from here, sitting in our cupboard, begging to be taken out! great idea to toss it in the camping gear. we will have to whip out our trusty espresso maker and do a post next weekend when camping …. Italian coffee!
Hope you both had a GREAT trip!! Chat soon,
xxoo
d& l
Haley – You’re welcome. Vietnamese coffee is one of the palate’s great joys. Especially when made the traditional way.
Lori Lynn – Years can’t erase the love. Can’t wait to see your camping recipe.
Krysta – Sometimes we just swear. But then we’ll have our coffee and all will be well. Love you, too. Say “Hi!” to the sous.
zenchef – Aww, daring commuter. Remember it takes a bit for it to drip through the filter. You might make it to work before getting your coffee fix! Thanks for the compliments.
joey – It’s one of the best things in the morning. And isn’t Vietnam such a great country to explore? Glad you brought home a part of it.
Chris Ann – Another one like Diane. Loves the goods, but love it even more if someone else makes it. It is such a daily routine for me, it seems like no work at all. As simple as brushing your teeth or putting on your clothes. Only much tastier and and there is the soul warming part of the ritual that gets you ready for the day.
Kristina – We may take you up on that. Are you back from Vietnam? Looks like your trip was/is great from your posts. We actually stopped at a couple of the same places in Hanoi. I miss it so.
Tartlette – i couldn’t have put it any better. Another reason to love you, my kindred soul. Cheers!
Dodie – You guys must have some incredible camping around Asheville, as well. Time to bust out the tent!
Thanks for visiting everyone. Hope you all take the time for a morning ritual to set your soul right before facing the day. It’s the little moments that make life special. Todd
coffee, camping, cool morning, warm hands …it doesn’t get any better than that. thanks for the reminder.
Love my Vietnamese coffee filters! I love finishing a dinner with friends by taking them out and taking the time to brew some. The ceremonial, the anticipation, the incredible smell and letting everybody partake in the making. It makes the end result taste that much better!
Thank you for the recipe for the perfect cup!
The friend we were traveling with bought us a bag of the weasel coffee to take home. You may just have to come up to LA to try it when we get back. 🙂
I don’t love the ritual of making coffee, like above….but, I do love the coffee (and so I love someone to enjoy making it for me)! That is hardcore coffee making, you did! Way to make a commitment to the moment!! 🙂 Looks like a lovely place and lovely coffee! I agree, I love a warm drink to sooth the soul! -Chris Ann
I love the ritual of making my coffee in the morning and the peace it gives me, along with the fortitude to face the days challenges. I also love Vietnamese coffee (got my filters on my trip there!)! So your post hits a chord 🙂 How lovely to have it in the gorgeous outdoors!
Wow.. thanks for the tutorial on making the perfect cup of Vietnamese coffee. You can be sure i’ll be trying that very soon, maybe not out camping but.. in my car during rush hour? 🙂 I LOVE vietnamese coffee! I’m always in awe looking at your pictures. Amazing.
only thing they agreed on (way to screw up a comment)
my parents swear by camp coffee, that’s it’s the best ever. (it’s probably the onlt thing they could agree on)i know this sounds strange but those of some of the best memories i have of them before their divorce. funny how that works and that this post reminded me of it. love you guys and have a safe trip home.
Love it! I’m in the process of writing about a camping recipe too, although, its been years since I camped…
LL