For Jackson McAdoo, the Elote Flat White at Nashville’s Daybreak Café is impressed by nostalgia.
This distinctive seasonal espresso drink is constructed across the distinct taste of candy roasted corn, like what he grew up consuming at native festivals. Prioritizing steadiness, McAdoo crafted this drink to make sure “the light sweetness was balanced by a delicate fruitiness, wealthy smokiness from guajillo peppers, and a sluggish burn due to cayenne with none sharpness.” The Elote Flat White is completed with contemporary lime zest and has been successful since its debut in March.
What are friends saying about this drink? “A superbly balanced and sudden mixture of flavors,” says McAdoo. Nailed it!
We spoke with Jackson McAdoo to be taught extra.
How did you’re employed to steadiness the flavors and create the proper style profile?
With the Elote Flat White, I wished to seize not simply the flavour, however the steadiness of light sweetness, a delicate fruitiness, and a wealthy smokiness from guajillo peppers. They lean extra candy and smoky than spicy, so whereas the drink has a kick, it reveals up as a sluggish, warming warmth slightly than something sharp. Milk softens and rounds all the pieces out, whereas the espresso enhances the corn’s pure sweetness and performs alongside a light-weight carry of lime zest acidity.
To construct that profile, I used the whole corn cob. The cobs are roasted, the kernels are blended, and the husks are steeped with the pepper combination, every half contributing one thing completely different. Toasting the guajillo peppers briefly helps launch their oils and deepen the smoke with out overpowering the corn (although it can completely clear a room should you’re not cautious). The aim was at all times to maintain corn as the focus, with spice and citrus including depth. After a number of trial and error, and a short have to cease excited about corn altogether, it landed as a steadiness of candy, creamy, flippantly smoky, and simply shiny sufficient to maintain it lifted.
That steadiness actually comes via in how the drink is skilled. The elote crema foam, corn-forward milk, and espresso are supposed to work collectively, permitting the flavors to develop throughout the palate. The froth itself, made with lime zest, cinnamon, cayenne, and Mexican crema, provides a tangy richness and a heat, rounded warmth that mirrors consuming elote. By itself, it’s shiny and savory; combined in, it ties the whole drink collectively.
Does this drink work as each sizzling and iced? Did that affect the recipe?
Sure, it really works each sizzling and iced, and that was taken into consideration in the course of the inventive course of.
Would you suggest any meals pairings to go together with it?
At residence, you possibly can take the savory or candy route when selecting a meals pairing for this drink. A pastry with a warming spice like cinnamon, a sq. of darkish chocolate, or a dish with distinguished lime or corn flavors would complement the drink properly.
At Daybreak, the quiche with a grit crust and Manchego would completely echo the drink’s savory, smoky notes.
We’ll additionally take the quiche, please. Thanks, Jackson!
Get your palms on the Elote Flat White at Daybreak Café in East Nashville till July 15, 2026.
Photographs by Josh Cunliffe courtesy Daybreak Café.
