Spiced Christmas coffee

Prepare the coffee the way you prefer. In my case, I love the Italian coffee maker because of the deep and strong flavor it gives to the coffee. Remember, coffee is the base of this beverage, so I recommend selecting a good quality coffee that you like.

Bring the coffee to medium heat and add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise and nutmeg. Over the years, I have found that adding the spices directly to the coffee pot does not release their flavor effectively. So, the trick is to boil the spices with the coffee so that the flavors blend evenly.

Let the mixture simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Here's another proven trick: Do not boil beyond this time, as the spices may acquire a bitter taste.

After this time, strain the coffee to eliminate the spices and place it back in the coffee maker.

Add the cream and brown sugar and boil for another minute.

Serve hot, and if you want, shortly before serving, add a final touch with a little vanilla and orange zest. Give orange zest a chance, it adds a really nice citrus touch that combines perfectly with the spices.