Iced Coffee Recipe for the Summertime

I don’t know about y’all, but I need coffee. I want coffee. I crave coffee. As a coffee enthusiast, I enjoy trying coffee from different regions when traveling, or making coffee-flavored food like these coffee macarons. I love it in the mornings and wish I could drink it in the evenings. However, it’s the dead middle of summer, so I’ll just say what we’re all thinking: “it is far too hot and humid outside,” and I ALWAYS get a stomach ache drinking hot coffee in this heat. It doesn’t happen during the winter, just when it’s blazing hot outside. Maybe I just get overheated? Who knows. So, like every other person out there, I drink smooth and creamy iced coffee during the summer!

Cold brewed iced coffee is not brewed the same as your typical hot coffee. Most incorrectly assume that it’s brewed hot then cooled in the fridge. However, the process of making a cold brew is slow. It takes hours to give it that nice, strong, and rich flavor. Brewing a hot cup of coffee and sticking it into the fridge will result in weaker flavors than this recipe. Though cold brewed coffee often has a stronger flavor, it has slightly lower caffeine levels than a hot brew. Hot water extracts more caffeine from the beans. A great batch of iced coffee sits overnight and is a hands-off recipe. You don’t have to do much, just let the coffee do its own thing by following the steps in the recipe below! I personally add half-and-half and stevia to my iced coffee to get that perfectly creamy and rich morning drink!

Over the past few weekends, I have been heading out to the balcony in the early morning to enjoy some iced coffee and a good book. It is so peaceful and quiet before the heat really kicks in. Usually, I grab a bunch of pillows and prop myself up on our porch couch. My iced coffee sits within reach right next to me! After reading a bit and having my early morning coffee, I am ready to start my day!

I won’t bore you with all of the books currently sitting on my bedside table, so I’ll just talk about the two I am super excited about.

My Morning Read: Kitchen Confidential

Recently, I finally got around to reading Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. Man, has it been a ride so far. I was wondering what made this book so famous, so I picked it up to read last week.There are hundreds of accounts in the food industry claiming this book transformed how people read and talk about food, but I never understood what the hype was about. His TV show was always great, but what made me finally pick up his book was, unfortunately, his death.

I regret not reading it sooner – it’s as plain and simple as that. The book includes many shocking stories for a goodie-two-shoes like me, such as the catalyst moment that made him want to be a cook (I don’t want to spoil it for others with too much detail). At the same time, there are moments that I can entirely relate with; something as simple as trying an oyster for the first time and having it change your world. I understand now why it went viral. Yes, he wrote the book for cooks, but he crafted a story that everyone could relate to. I can’t wait to keep reading! One-third of the way through!

My Bedside Reach: The Art of Eating

Another book I am half-way through (for the hundredth time) is M.F.K. Fisher’s The Art of Eating. This is a collection of all her works. I love how you can pick up whenever you have time and put down when you don’t. It is easy to come back to later on down the road. The book is gigantic but is definitely a wonderful read.

Fisher is an author I continue to revere. Her intimate descriptions of the people, smells, and food make her a great food writer. However, what truly brings me back to her work is her capacity as a gastronomic philosopher. She wrote during the times of abundance, and times of universal hardship (WWII); she reminds us of the physical and emotional necessity of friendship and love, represented as food, by focusing on the ability of recollection through taste. These works chart through three decades of her life, allowing the reader to grow and learn alongside her.

So here is my question for you. What books are you currently reading that you think I need to know about? Where do you read and what do you drink? Are you currently drinking iced coffee like me? Or maybe tea? Let us know in the comments below!

Iced Coffee Recipe for the Summertime

Recipe by Emily

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Beverages

Ingredients

• 10 oz Dark roast ground coffee (half of standard sized bag)

• 16 cups room temperature water

• You Can Use Half-and-Half, Skim Milk, 2% Milk, Whole Milk, Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners, Natural Sweeteners, Syrups, chocolate, hazelnut, or whatever else you enjoy!

Directions

• In a large container, pour in ground coffee. Then pour in water and mix together. Cover and allow to sit on the counter overnight (about 12 hours). Do not refrigerate!
• Using a mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth, pour coffee/water mixture through the strainer, and into a container. Discard coffee grounds once all liquid has run through. I like to use coffee grounds as fertilizer for my plants!
• Place coffee into the refrigerator and allow to cool. Add whatever you need to make your own personal yummy drink (I prefer stevia and half-and-half). Drink as much as you need to get through the day!

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