I’m envious of you living in the southern hemisphere with your weather in the 20s C and no suppressing humidity. Right now I am thinking of drinking something very cold.
I agree with the experts that water is essential especially in unusually hot weather. Nonetheless, I love coffee, tea and lemony drinks, which may explain why nothing cools me down in comfort like—-not-from-the-bottle, can or whirling dispenser—-iced coffee, tea and lemonade.
Note: When making iced coffee, tea and lemonade and other ‘ades, I recommend that you use filtered water. It really makes a difference.
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Iced Coffee
My New Quick Fresh Iced Coffee Method
After searching the web for this posting, I have changed the way I make my quick, emergency ice coffee. I now use the Japanese method of dripping the fresh hot coffee onto the ice.
In the demonstration video, the barista, a professional person who makes coffee, is using one way of making coffee in preparation to dripping it onto the ice. However, you can use this method with any type of filter, French press and even instant coffee as long as you use a high-quality coffee.
The key to coffee-tasting, iced coffee is to remember that the ice will dilute the coffee. Therefore, you need to make the coffee stronger than you would for regular coffee. The video suggests twice as strong. You might need to experiment to get it just right for you.
Now, fill a glass with ice. Slowly drip the fresh coffee onto the ice. That’s it! Add more ice if needed and milk if you wish.
If you are concerned with the glass breaking because of the contrast of the hot and cold temperatures, use a heat sensitive, not-plastic container, such as Pyrex or a ceramic cup, and then transfer to an attractive glass.
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If you add sugar or sugar substitute that is not already liquid, you need to add it before you drip the coffee on the ice. With the method in the video, this is a problem. You can make a simple sugar liquid to keep on hand to add to cold drinks and to make lemonade.
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Iced Coffee around the World
Ask for “iced coffee” around the world and you most likely will get a coffee drink with all different kinds of ingredients from ice cream to condescended milk to a few ice cubes melting in lukewarm coffee.
Throughout this posting, there are several opportunities to go to the original article. They are marked in red. Put your cursor on the area. If a line appears under the text, click and open in a new tab.
The recipes are in the original article.
Vietnamese-Style Iced Coffee
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Iced Tea
Go to a restaurant in the USA during the summer and out comes the never-ending pitcher of ice team. I’ve never been very successful at making iced tea even though I make a great cup of hot English tea.
I was delighted to find a posting on canadianliving.com “Six rules for the best iced tea plus recipes”
- Use enough tea bags, usually two tea bags for every 3 cups of water.
- Don’t overstep. For tea stronger, use more tea bags rather than lengthening the steeping time. (Steeping time is about 5-10 minutes.)For weaker tea, reduce the steeping time rather than reducing the number tea bags.
- Add sugar to hot water only if all of the tea is to be sweeten your tea. If you prefer to sweeten your tea afterwards, use the simple sugar syrup.
- Cool before refrigerating because putting hot tea into a cold fridge will it cloudy. If it does become cloudy, try adding a bit of boiling water to it.
- Don’t use artificial lemon juice or other artificial flavors.
- Fresh is best. Make only what you will drink in two or three days.
This site also has recipes for
Real Southern Iced Tea
The southern part of the USA is especially know for its iced tea. This video from youtube.com not only shows how to make that version of iced tea but also introduces you to the culture of the Deep South and their way of “talkin'” English. She is saying not to use cheap, “new age” or green teas.
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Lemonade and other ‘ades
Squeezing Lemons
Regardless of which recipe you use to make fresh lemonade and other types of ‘ades, you have to squeeze some lemons. Often lots of lemons.
Squeezing a lot of lemons can be a painful process for many of us grands.
Do not use bottled, frozen or any other source of commercially extracted lemon juice if you want to have REAL tasting lemonade.
I suggest that you look into investing in a juice extractor that does not require twisting around the lemon (or orange).
If you do a lot of “juicing”, you might want to consider some type of electric extractor.
Here is a video on buying lemons and using a Mexican citrus press or a beater from your mixer! Click on the red.
How-to-Juice-a-Lemon-Perfectly-517159719
Basic Perfect Lemonade
Make a simple sugar by combining one cup sugar with one cup water. Boil down to 3/4 cup. Let it cool completely down.
Combine the cooled simple sugar with a cup of lemon juice. The amount of syrup depends on how sweet you like your lemonade.
Add three to four cups of ice.
All Kinds of ‘ades
Now is a wonderful time to introduce you to probably the oldest, and many believe the most complete, food website epicurious.com There is so much on this site. You can even have your own recipe box. (Look under “Community” on the left side. Just register as a member. No fee.)
In the search box on the upper right type lemonade and click “go”. Now on the new page, click “drink recipes”.
Here is just a variety of their many recipes. These are just a sample.
Fresh Mint and Ginger Lemonade
Keep cool and enjoy.