Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 29, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE C1 Aussie easy to like / C3 ARTS & LIFE ARTS@ FREEPRESS. MB. CA I WINNIPEGFREEPRESS. COM WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015 C 1 S UMMER is the season for iced coffee. But with the high cost - and the high calorie count - of many coffee- shop versions, you might want to try making iced coffee at home. Coffee culture can get a little crazy, and some esoteric practitioners approach the icedcoffee process as something between a religious ritual and a Mission: Impossible operation. Making iced coffee doesn't have to be incredibly elaborate, but to get a good result, you will need to do more than just put your leftover breakfast coffee in the fridge. For a while, cold- brewing was the " It Method." This process involves mixing ground coffee with cold water and letting it brew over a period of many hours. But the new favourite is what is sometimes called the " Japanese method," a pour- over process in which you make strong, hot, filtered coffee while simultaneously crash- cooling it over a bed of ice. There are doctrinal differences between the cold- brew crowd and the pour- over people. Cold- brewing is easy but does take forethought, since the process needs to be started 12- 24 hours before, depending on the recipe. It tends to yield a smooth, mellow result, since coldbrewed coffee is less bitter and acidic. ( Detractors say it's also less nuanced.) Coldbrew iced coffee is also easy to scale up if you need big quantities, which is handy. The pour- over process requires a certain amount of precision. Some pour- over experts use digital scales and stopwatches and special kettles, and they get specific about pour technique. There are many YouTube videos in which helpful guys dressed like 19th- century pioneers will give you all kinds of detailed advice, if you're interested. But the pour- over can also be done pretty effectively with a basic drip- cone filter setup or a Chemex coffee maker. Because pour- over iced coffee is made with hot water that is instantly cooled and then served immediately, the method yields a fresh, clear, complex taste. You can make it quickly, which is great for sudden, spontaneous cold- java urges, but only a few servings at a time. Whichever method you prefer, making homemade offers control over sugar and butterfat content. You can go nuts with mocha- frappa- caramel- whipped- cream variations or you can do straight- up black. Because granulated sugar doesn't dissolve well in iced coffee, you might want to have some simple syrup - equal parts sugar and water boiled together - or some flavoured syrup on hand. You can also make coffee ice cubes - just pour freshly made coffee into an ice- cube tray and freeze - which will keep your iced coffee cold without dilution. Call me Millie Moderate, but I liked iced coffee made with both the cold- brew and the pour- over method. Maybe it's because my palate isn't developed enough to make exquisite coffee- fanatic distinctions. Or maybe it's because it was 31 C on the testing day and I was absolutely jonesing for a jolt of ice- cold caffeination. alison. gillmor@ freepress. mb. ca You can chill out and get your caffeine fix at the same time with refreshing iced coffee ALISON GILLMOR Cold- Brewed Iced Coffee with Cardamom and Orange 150 ml ( 2/ 3 cup) medium- coarse ground coffee 750 ml ( 3 cups) cold water 2 ml ( � tsp) cardamom 2 ml ( � tsp) fresh orange zest 45 ml ( 3 tbsp) light brown sugar Milk or half and half, for serving Ice cubes or coffee ice cubes, for serving Put coffee, water, cardamom, orange zest and sugar into a quart jar or a French press and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight. ( If using a French press, do not press down: keep the plunger in the up position. If the whole contraption is too tall to get into your fridge, you can set the plunger aside and cover the French press vessel with plastic wrap.) The next day: If using a quart jar, pour the coffee mixture through a fine- mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter into a bowl. Pour slowly and patiently, and don't force the liquid through. Discard grounds and pour strained liquid back into the rinsed quart jar for pouring and storage. If using a French press, gently press the plunger down. To serve: fill a tall glass halfway with ice cubes or ( bonus points!) coffee ice cubes. Pour in coffee until glass is about � full and add milk, if desired. If not adding milk, you might want to dilute with cold water. Cold- brewed coffee will keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge. Notes: The cardamom, orange and sugar add subtle flavour, but if you're a purist, you can leave them out and make plain unsweetened iced coffee. You'll want to start with robust coffee. The cold- brewed method is best at extracting flavours from coffee beans that are described as " chocolatey" or " nutty." Japanese- Style Pour- Over Iced Coffee 175 ml ( � cup) medium- fine ground coffee 125 g ( 8 oz) ice cubes ( use large cubes, not chipped or shaved ice) 500 ml ( 2 cups) water, just off the boil Ice cubes or coffee ice cubes, for serving Milk or half- and- half, if desired, for serving Simple syrup, if desired, for serving You will need a pour- over cone coffee maker or a Chemex coffee maker, along with filters. Place ice cubes in bottom of vessel. Rinse filter with water and place in cone or top of Chemex vessel. Add ground coffee. When water comes to boil, remove from heat for a moment to let the water come off the boil, then pour small amount onto the ground coffee and let it " bloom" for about 60 seconds. Continue to pour, slowly into the centre of the ground coffee, until all water is used. The pouring process should take about 2- 3 minutes. Not all ice will melt. Tester's Notes: You can double this recipe if you have enough room in your vessel. If you don't have a scale to weigh the ice cubes, keep in mind that standard ice- cube trays are designed to make 1- oz cubes. You can adjust the amount of coffee up or down to suit your taste. Aromatic light- and medium- roast beans work well for pour- over iced coffee. Maple vanilla syrup 250 ml ( 1 cup) pure maple syrup 1 vanilla bean, sliced open lengthwise and seeds scraped out 10 ml ( 2 tsp) pure vanilla extract In a small saucepan over medium- low heat, heat the maple syrup and vanilla bean seeds, along with the vanilla bean. Bring to a low boil and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 8- 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Discard vanilla bean and stir in vanilla extract. Notes: This handy sweetener will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 10 days. Joe COOL Above, Japanese- style pour- over iced coffee. Left, cold- brewed iced coffee with cardamom and orange. PHOTOS BY TREVOR HAGAN/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS C_ 01_ Jul- 29- 15_ FP_ 01. indd C1 7/ 28/ 15 7: 04: 09 PM ;