What gets me through the day?

In 90-110+ degree weather with high humidity levels there is only one thing that gets me through the day. Iced Coffee. Need I say more? I became addicted when I worked at a certain bakery in downtown Edwardsville where we called it “Iced Crack” because of the high caffeine levels and the addictive tendency. But when I quit there to come here, I quickly switched back to hot coffee and loved it. Then our second hot season hit and I was dying. I love love drinking coffee but drinking such a hot liquid when it's 90 degrees at 9am was ridiculous. So after doing some research I finally found a way to make iced coffee here. And let me tell you…it is the ONLY thing that will get you through the heat and wake you up!

Foam, ice, coffee = happiness :)

Iced Coffee (Cold brew)

Note: I make a quarter batch so that it doesn’t take up room in my fridge and it lasts me about a week and half to two weeks depending on how sluggish I am :0)

¼ pound of coffee grounds

8 cups of cold water (or if you’re like me..room temp because that means I have to use all the cold water in my fridge)

Put coffee grounds in a mixing bowl or sealable container. Pour water over coffee grounds and gently stir to wet all the grounds. Then cover the container and let sit overnight or for stronger coffee, 24 hours.

Strain the grounds out into another container (I use an empty 1.5L water bottle). Now I strain twice. Once in a fine sieve to collect all the grounds and another time with a filter to collect all the….really really fine grounds and to purify it even more. Store in fridge.

To Drink

Get a big huge glass and fill it halfway with ice. Then pour in your milk and whatever sugar you want to use. Fill the remainder with your coffee from the fridge and enjoy!

Now if you are like me follow these instructions:

Get a big empty Jif peanut butter container or big empty applesauce jar from the cabinet. Fill half with ice; add your Splenda (1/4 packet), soy milk and delectable cold coffee. Then put on the lid and shake shake shake! Take off the lid and enjoy your deliciousness!!!!

Applesauce jars make the best drinking containers!