I think piloncillo is the Philippines' counterpart of muscovado sugar or panutsa. It's what we also call "sinakob" in Pangasinense. I wonder what is the difference between the two. It's new to me that piloncillo can be used to make drinks, main dishes, desserts and more, it also comes from sugar cane.

I love the fragrance of this spiced coffee, it reminds me of Christmases past and the scent of the malls during Christmas shopping season. The coffee tastes just sweet enough for me even if I just add a bit of sugar. Most of all, I find it a wonderful beverage partnered with cookies as I get back early these days watching Christmas movies on NetFlix.

Just out of curiosity, I watched a short vid on how to make cafe de olla from scratch. You will need water, 2 cloves, 1 anise star, 2 sticks cinnamon, 1 piloncillo stick, and 6 tablespoons ground coffee. Bring to a boil water and first 4 ingredients. When it boils, stir with a wooden spoon until piloncillo dissolves, then add 6 tablespoons ground coffee. Simmer just a little, then pour the liquid through a mesh cloth and strain. Pour the strained liquid into mugs. Enjoy! 

It's a must try! Coffee time has been special eversince we tried Nescafe Cafe De Olla