In the summer, nearly every restaurant–whether they sell burgers or donuts–has their own gaudy version of iced coffee. Whenever I see one, I can’t help but think of an over-tinseled Christmas tree or a car with too many bumper stickers. Dripping with whipped cream and gooey sauce, they usually have catchy names that seem more at home on a kids’ menu. Case in point: On a road trip, I once stopped at a fast-food restaurant to buy a plain old iced coffee. Instead, I had to keep a straight face (and my dignity) while I told the person at the register that I wanted a “Java-Koola.” I don’t know about you, but I’m not the type of person who can carelessly disregard consonants at the ends of words and get away with it.
Maybe that’s why I like drinking iced coffee at home . . . or at Starbucks. It’s all a matter of opinion, but I don’t think iced coffee needs an avalanche of whipped cream. It definitely doesn’t need an intentionally misspelled nickname. All I ask is that my iced coffee contain coffee and cream. A couple of years ago I found an iced coffee recipe that was based on Vietnamese-style coffee. The recipe instructed me to mix cold coffee with some sweetened condensed milk and pour it over ice. I made it again this week and didn’t even bother to look it up. Here’s how I made it: I brewed 9 cups of coffee but used twice the usual amount of grounds. I removed the carafe from the burner and let the coffee cool for about 30 minutes. Then I poured the coffee in a pitcher and added a cup of sweetened condensed milk. I stirred it all together and then swirled in about a cup of 2% milk. Finally, I poured it in a glass with ice. This method probably wouldn’t please a true coffee aficionado. I’m sure I compromised the integrity of the bean somewhere along the way, but better it than me. At any rate, this seems to be the easiest way to get iced coffee without leaving the kitchen.
Of course, a more popular way of making iced coffee is the cold-brew method. For the instructions, check out this article from Imbibe magazine. I tried it for the first time today and loved how it turned out. What’s the difference between my quick method and the cold-brew method? For me, it’s the difference between good and good. The cold-brewed iced coffee had a richer, earthier flavor. Yet, I drink my coffee with cream, so the difference between the two versions is less pronounced. People who drink their coffee black would probably prefer Imbibe’s method.
I should also note, I used decaf coffee because I only drink iced coffee in the afternoon or evening. It tastes like a dessert to me. I can never imagine drinking iced coffee alongside eggs and toast. Even when it’s 90 degrees, I drink my usual two cups of hot coffee in the morning with the ceiling fan on high.
Except on Saturdays. Three Saturdays ago, I had coffee slush for breakfast. If this arid weather continues, I may have to share that recipe too.
