Iced coffee with almond

I've been making iced coffee for a while now, but picked up some good tips over at The Kitchn. My version is pretty strong, but not bitter. I prefer to chill the ingredients (rather than using ice cubes), dilute with milk for a creamier coffee, then top with froth.

1 cup double-strength brewed coffee

1/4 cup milk

optional: sugar (Use less than you normally would. Just enough to take the edge off.)

optional: 2-3 drops almond extract

Mix all ingredients. Stir until dissolved/mixed, then refrigerate until chilled.

Tip: For faster iced coffee, dissolve 3 Tsp Nescafé instant coffee + sugar in 1/4 cup hot water. Add 1/2 cup cold water, 2 ice cubes 1/4 milk and 2-3 drops almond extract.

To serve the iced coffee, pour 1/4 cold milk in a tall glass. (Needs to hold at least 1 cup coffee + 2 inches froth.) Froth milk using an aerolatte - the world's greatest invention. Pour iced coffee mixture slowly in the center of the glass.

Drink up!

Tip: You can make several batches of the coffee ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge for when the mood strikes.

Agua de Melón (Mexican melon water)

Move over sweet tea. I've got a new (and healthier) summer drink.

Mexican Aguas Frescas are made with simple ingredients and are amazing on a hot summer days. The variations are endless.

For the fruit, you can use melon, strawberries, watermelon, peaches, mangos, papayas, tamarind, hibiscus (bissap) flowers, pineapple... You can use herbs such as mint or basil as the accent.

For my first trick, I chose melon and mint. Mmmm... Good choice.

1 melon, cut into pieces and peeled (about 4-5 cups)

1 Tbsp lemon juice (or more, to taste)

1 Tbsp sugar (I skipped this)

pinch salt

mint garnish

lemon slices

water

ice

Using a food mill, purée the melon. Discard the fruit pulp. Pour the juice into a large pitcher. Stir in salt, lemon juice, (sugar). Guess-timate how much juice oyu have. Add about half that much water into the pitcher. Chill well.

Serve over lots of ice with lemon slices and mint sprigs. (These are more than just pretty. Their flavors highlight the juice!)

Ginger and lemon tea

I loved the spiciness of this hot tea.

2 cups water
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root
lemon slice
honey to taste

Peel the ginger root and chop it into small pieces. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea.

Add honey and lemon to taste.

Chocolat chaud

French hot chocolate is the best. Thick and rich, but not overly sweet.

2 cups milk
5 ounces dark (at least 70%) chocolate, grated
2 teaspones brown sugar

Heat the milk slowly in a saucepan. Once the milk is warm, add the chocolate and whisk until melted and steaming. Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes, turning down the heat if it begin to boil. Serve hot in small cups, with brown sugar to stir in if desired. (I like mine straight!)

Vin chaud (hot mulled wine)

Vin chaud is the definitive drink of French Christmas markets and festivals. This recipe was served at an event at our church last weekend and it's the best I've ever had. So I snagged the recipe from the pastor's wife :)

one bottle of good red wine
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, sliced
zest of 1 orange
2-4 cinnamon sticks
1-2 cloves (optional)

Heat the wine, sugar and spices in a pot over low heat. Stir occasionally until it simmers (not boiling) and a foam forms. Add the zest. Pour the wine into glasses while hot. Serve with a slice of lemon in each glass or a stick of cinnamon.

Moka pot coffee (stovetop expresso)

The moka is a simple device that uses steam pressure to force water through a strainer to make espresso.

The flavor of moka pot espresso depends greatly on bean variety, roast level, fineness of grounds, and the level of stovetop heat used. Due to the higher pressures involved, the mixture of water and steam reaches temperatures well above 100°C, causing a more efficient extraction of caffeine and flavors from the grounds, and resulting in a much stronger brew when compared to that obtained by drip brewing.

Fill to line with cold water.


Place the filter in the base. Scoop finely ground coffee into filter. Do not pack it.


Screw on the upper half of the carafe. Place on stove and turn on heat to medium-high. After a few linutes, you will hear the coffee filling the carafe. When you hear it sputter (air coming out) remove from heat and serve immediately.

Eggnogg

Blend all ingredients well, then chill before serving.

2 eggs, well beaten
3 T sugar
1 t vanilla
1 c milk
splash of cream
1⁄2 t cinnamon
sprinkle of nutmeg
sprinkle of ground cloves

Hot chocolate

1-2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
dash salt

In a small saucepan combine cocoa, sugar and salt. Add a splash of milk and stir until blended. Add another splash and stir. And again. Now add the rest of the milk. Heat over med-low, stirring often. Once steam begins to rise, pour into a warmed mug.

Mom's wassail

Mix and heat in a large pot. Let simmer at least one hour before serving. This is delicious - We drink it by the gallon!

8 parts apple juice
4 parts pineapple juice
2 parts oj
1 part lemon juice
cinnamon sticks
whole cloves
sugar to taste

Attaya, Senegalese tea

Attaya is the Senegalese tea ceremony. It’s served in three rounds, using two or three small glasses. The first round is strong and bitter, the second more sweet with a little mint, and the third is very sweet with more mint. It symbolizes friendship: The longer we’re together the sweeter it grows.


Brada on a fuurno

Round one (called Lewel)
In a small tea pot (brada) put one cup water, 1 small glass (kas) of sugar, and 1 small glass (kas) of tea leaves (warga). Set the pot on the fuurnu (small grill or gas burner) and bring the mix to a boil. Remove from heat and pour some of the content into each of the small glasses. Begin pouring the liquid back and forth between the glasses until each glass has foam on it. Keeping the foam in the glasses, pour the liquid back into the brada and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and pour into the glasses. Mix again until foam is even bigger then serve round one.



Round two (called Naarel)
Add water to the barada (warga should still be in the pot). Add mint leaves (nana) and/or pastilles (a mint candy similar to gum drops) to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add two generous kas of sugar, bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and pour some of the content into each of the the small glasses. Begin pouring the liquid back and forth between the glasses until each glass has foam on it. Keeping the foam in the glasses, pour the liquid back into the brada and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and pour into the glasses. Mix again until foam is even bigger then serve round two.

Round three (called Nettel
Add water and a little more warga to the pot. Add mint leaves (nana) and/or pastilles to the pot (be generous, this is the yummy round!). Bring to a boil. Add three generous kas of sugar and bring again to a boil. Remove from heat and pour some of the content into each of the small glasses. Begin pouring the liquid back and forth between the glasses until each glass has foam on it. Keeping the foam in the glasses, pour the liquid back into the brada and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and pour into the glasses. Mix again until foam is even bigger then serve round three.

French hot chocolate

This recipe makes 4 small cups, but as it is so rich and heavenly, a small cup is just right.









2 cups milk
5 ounces dark chocolate (ideally at least 70 % cocoa), finely chopped
a few grains of salt

Heat the milk in a saucepan. As the milk warms, whisk in the chocolate and salt, stirring until melted and steaming hot. The hot chocolate actually improves if made ahead and allowed to sit for a few hours. Simply reheat slowly before serving.

Chai tea

1 black tea bag
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
1/2 mug water
1/2 mug milk
sugar

Heat water, milk, cinnamon, and cloves on stove until barely steaming. Add tea bag and let steep five minutes. Remove from heat and pour into mug. Add sugar to taste.



This recipe is posted in honor of my tea-guzzling sister-in-law, Kate. Mugs up!

Chai tea

One of the parcels Hanalee sent me from India included perfumed teas that are used to make a sweet, milk tea drink. I have been tweaking my recipe for Chai, so these teas are perfect. I prefer cold Chai in the summer, obviously, but it's also very good hot.

Pour 2 tbsp black loose leafvanilla tea into 1.5 cups water. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer 2 minutes. While simmering, add 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 3 cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, and a tiny shake of black pepper. Strain the tea then add 2 tbsp dry milk and a splash of cream. Sweeten to taste with honey. Pour over ice and shake until melted. The colder, the better.