Coffee, my true love

Readers, it is true. Caffeine, specifically in espressinated coffee form, is my not-so-secret lover. We have a very special relationship, the big C and I. We take long rides in the car, and sit in bookstores together reading silently. I steal the occasional appreciative glance, knowing that he really is the perfect reading companion.

But only the very best will do. That's not to say that in a moment of headache-induced desperation, I won't make a visit to the local QT or Denny's. But, over the years, my experiences working as a barista have made me a bit of a coffee snob. Which is why when I read this article, I was a bit skeptical of its simplicity. I've ordered cold brew coffee at my neighborhood coffee shop (Xtreme Bean in Tempe makes a decent cup), and have toyed with the idea of purchasing a cold brew contraption specifically for this purpose. But after reading this, I decided to follow the VEEERY simple recipe using my handy dandy french press. I combined 1 cup of coarse grind beans (for this experiment, I used one of my fave organic Trader Joe's blends) and 2 1/2 cups of room temperature water in my press, stirred gently, placed the lid on top and let it rest on my counter overnight. In the morning, I strained the resulting liquid into a small pitcher-- it resembled strong coffee {quelle suprise!!}. I sniffed (smelled like coffee), I took a tiny sip (tasted like coffee). I poured two fingers worth into a glass and mixed in some cream and a handful of ice. The beverage that I then tasted was, without doubt, the most flavorful coffee drink I have ever tasted! Full of depth and character without the acidic aftertaste!

Could it be? All these years of spending $5 on my morning soy latte, and this whole time the makings of my perfect iced beverage companion were in my own kitchen all along! I was embarassed and pleasantly surprised all at once.

This morning I was able to make my coffee drink at home in about 3 seconds AND I got to keep my $5 bill in my wallet. And my tastebuds were none the wiser. How great is that?