Of course one of the favorite pastimes of a "coffee enthusiast" is to find that perfect little coffee shop- the one saturated with the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans, good music selections playing at a pleasant volume, and the artsy regulars who have selected this particular venue to be the catalyst for their creativity. This is the place of Mac Books and sketchpads, brainstorming and first dates; a small pocket of Utopia in the midst of this chaotic world.
Though atmosphere is crucial, so is the taste of the coffee. Countless times, excitement and anticipation have been quenched quickly and harshly by one bitter, acrid gulp of poor, overpriced coffee.
All this to say, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that the best coffee should be produced and consumed in the comforts of your own kitchen!
I remember being about twelve years old (pre-coffee drinker); my family was visiting some old friends in Colorado Springs. I remember distinctly my dad reaction over breakfast: looking at his coffee cup with a slight frown of disbelief, he took another sip before exclaiming that it was THE BEST coffee he'd ever had. He, of course, peppered our hostess with questions about how such an exceptional beverage came into existence...
I didn't think much of it at the time, but he and my mom searched high and low for this mysterious "Coffee Toddy"(it was before the days of Google and Amazon... dark days indeed!) At last, they found the illusive Toddy at a little coffee shop in the Woodlands. Since that day, our home has never been the same...countless guests walked through our doors, and left with their hearts touched and lives transformed by the experience of "good coffee".
I did not fully appreciate the miracle that is the cold brewing technique until I was a bit older. Coffee was coffee was coffee..But after a youth ski trip and McDonalds coffee day in and day out, coming home and drinking the dark, savory elixir of home, I was sold.
So.. Here we go.. prepare to be amazed.
It begins with the brewing and filtering. I use the Coffee Toddy available now through Amazon.. http://www.amazon.com/Toddy-T2N-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365607959&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+toddy
Put the small rubber stopper in the bottom from underneath, and soak the filter in cold water and put it snugly inside.
Then pick your coffee- the lovely thing about cold brew, is that even store-brand coffee tastes GREAT: since it is not "hot brew", it isn't bitter!
For those who like to know HOW a process works, an article in the New York Times said this:
"As water moves into the coffee particles or tea leaves, it dissolves or suspends hundreds of different substances and extracts them from the solids. If the water is hot, it extracts more rapidly and completely. Hot water also cooks as it extracts, forcing chemical reactions that transform some of the extracted substances into other things, and driving some aroma substances out of the liquid. Cold water, in contrast, extracts more slowly and selectively, produces a simpler extract, and doesn’t change the original flavor substances as much.
...
The hot-brew argument sounded convincing to me, and I’d be happy not to need any special kit or forethought. But when I compared a 12-hour cold brew of freshly roasted Ethiopian coffee side by side with double-strength pour-overs brewed onto ice, each was good, and it was the cold brew that consistently tasted fruitier and more refreshing. That experiment made me a fan of cold-brewed coffee."
See the entire post here http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/dining/cold-brewing-coffee-and-tea-the-curious-cook.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Ratio is double water to coffee: I used two cups of coffee and four cups of COLD water. DO NOT STIR! I live out in the country and have a well- if you are in city limits and using city water, you may want to filter it depending on how your water tastes...
Let the cold brew sit for 6-8 hours (I usually make it in the evening and by morning, *drum roll* COFFEE!
Pull the rubber stopper out of the bottom and place filter on top of the carafe (glass decanter).
Pour 1/4 cup of coffee concentrate into your favorite mug (more if you want it stronger)
Add hot water from your tea kettle
And prepare to your liking!
Coffee concentrate is great for iced coffee as well... just add ice, milk/cream and your favorite flavoring. Iced Coffee Recipe click here: http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/recipes/homemade-cold-brew-coffee/
No comments:
Post a Comment