The Eternal Summer

Oh, hi. My name is Whitney. I live in Miami where it’s still in the mid-90s in September. SEPTEMBER. I keep reading how friends in Chicago, including my beloved co-author, are breaking out their sweaters already and here I am shvitzing all day long in my flip flops. Now I realize I will be biting my tongue come December when our friends and family are huddled around a fire and we’re still hanging in our flip flops but I have to say, I miss fall. I love fall time. I mean, you get pumpkin lattes and pumpkin ales and cider mills and fresh donuts. But not for us down in the tropics. No sir. So because we’re missing out on delicious fall beverages I’m gonna live out loud with my summer beverages. My number one favorite summer beverage (well, favorite non-alcoholic summer beverage) is the iced coffee. And, can I be frank here people, I’m not talking about coffee that’s been brewed in the pot and then refrigerated nor am I talking about instant coffee that you add water and ice to. Oh no my friends. We are talking coffee that has been cold-brewed over night for at least 8 hours and then enjoyed over a cup of ice with a drop (or several) of half & half and agave. Oh friends, it is heaven and so so easy to make. I make a pitcher a week and I honestly look forward to my cup of iced coffee every morning. I have become mildly obsessed with this iced coffee. I haven’t yet decided if that’s a good thing or a bad thing but regardless, yum.

Step one: Grab a bag of delicious & strong coffee (Cafe Bustelo – kosher and only $4)

Pour about a little less than half the bag into a large pitcher

Pour in enough cold water so that the grounds reach the top of the pitcher

The grounds and water mixture will look a lot like the mud pies you may have made as a wee child.

Finally, cover the pitcher real nice and tight-like and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours but you should feel free to leave it there for upwards of 12.

After the 8 hours of cold-brewing, place a cheesecloth in a mesh strainer over a second pitcher. Gently and as slowly as possible, pour the original picture of coffee into the mesh strainer fitted with the cheesecloth. The grounds will catch in the cheesecloth while the liquid soaks through into the second pitch. You may need to grab a spoon and help some of that liquid down into your second pitcher. Once you’ve finished the transferred all the clean, grind-free coffee over to the second pitcher you are ready to enjoy! Just grab a glass, fill it to the top with ice and pour in your coffee. If you’re like me and you enjoy a little half & half or milk in your iced coffee (i mean, the swirling effect of the half & half hitting the coffee alone makes the calories worth it) with a hint of sweetness, leave a little room at the top to do so. I also highly recommend grabbing some agave syrup to sweeten your coffee. You don’t get hit with chunks of sugar and instead get a nice, even sweetness.