Cold-Brewed Coffee

Have you ever had cold-brewed iced coffee? Because it is DELICIOUS. 

The New York Times posted this recipe for it, and then all sorts of my favorite food bloggers were talking about it, so I decided to give it a try.

It's kind of amazing. And really easy.

Here's what you do:

Mix 1/3 cup of coarse ground coffee (the darker roast, the better) with 1 1/2 cups of cold water in the container of your choice. I triple and quadruple the recipe because I likes me some coffee yo! 

Were you expecting mine to be in some sort fancy Mason jar? Ha! Turns out, clam chowder takeout containers are the perfect coffee maker. Take THAT Toddy McTodd Todd! 

Anyway, you mix the coffee grounds with the water, cover it up, and then try to ignore it for the next 12 to 15 hours. You don't even need to refrigerate it during this time, although you can if you really want to. I don't.

And yes, this is the same lid I used as a rainbow template for the Tooth Fairy Door. So?

When the coffee has served its counter time, you can strain it with a paper coffee filter or a double layer of cheesecloth. I've even heard of people using a couple layers of paper towels. Dude! I make mine in a clam chowder takeout cup, so I'm not judging. 

And maybe I need to clarify. I do own Tupperware. A lot of it. I even own a few Mason jars. But I've been going to the Crab Cooker since I was little little little. We used to eat there with my Nanny - my great-grandmother - and it has a very special place in my heart. It's a little bit of a trek for us to go there now, but whenever we're in the neighborhood, we try to stop by and eat in or grab some clam chowder to go. I just love my Crab Cooker containers.

Back to the coffee! I pour my coffee ground concoction directly into the coffee filter of my coffee maker. You know, without turning the coffee maker on or anything. I just use it for the filter.

Pour the filtered coffee into a covered container and stick it in the fridge.  It can stay fresh in there for a good couple of weeks. I know! This stuff is amazing.

At this point, it's basically coffee concentrate that you should mix with equal parts water or milk. I like my coffee strong, so I don't dilute it very much. Cold-brewed coffee isn't bitter at all! It's just pure heavenly iced deliciousness. Try it and see!

Fill a glass with ice.

Pour in some of your cold-brewed coffee. Since the coffee is not hot, it won't melt the ice cubes and get all watery and bland. You know what I'm talking about. Sad, sad melty ice cubes. Layer of watered-down coffee and half-melted ice cubes on top of regular coffee. I will no longer drink that sort of nonsense.

Iced coffee made from hot coffee is a little bit delicious. 

Iced coffee from cold-brewed coffee is VERY delicious. 

Then you can fix your iced coffee however you darn well please. 

I like Coffeemate or half and half and Torani flavored syrup. It makes me feel fancy.

And then I drive by Starbucks and yell out my car window, "Suck It!" 

Okay, I've never done that. 

But just look at it! Seriously! It doesn't get any better. 

Mmmm Mmmm! Refreshing!

Try it and let me know what you think!