Everyone in the Deal area is going crazy over Rook Coffee Roasters. Yes, we agree, it’s delicious! And adorable and cute and teeny. You know why their iced coffee is so delicious? Because they cold brew it. And they use organic milk. Okay, it helps that they have good quality coffee and everything, but cold brewing is a big deal. They just rock is all.

We’ve been cold brewing our coffee ever since 2007 when the New York Times posted an article about it. We were hooked, and never went back to chilling hot coffee again!

Okay, so I didn’t use the greatest quality coffee this time, but one of the greatest things about cold brewing is the fact that it’s awesome anyway! and Chock full o’ Nuts was on sale last week, so I had to buy it.

Cold brewed coffee is super strong, so either dilute it with some water or have it “latte style” with half coffee and half milk. I like my coffee creamy, so I opt for the latter, but it’s also quite amazing with water (1:1 coffee to water ratio) and a splash of cream or milk. If you’re a fan of the smokey flavor, add some hickory chips in the cold brew and sweeten it – that’s a New Orleans style brew for you.

As long as you have a Ball jar (where can we get those GIANT ones, please?), some coffee, and filtered water, you can make great coffee at home. No fancy machines needed. You don’t even need measuring cups, because the measurements are marked on the jars.

After straining, it keeps in the fridge for a couple of months! So now you can enjoy a refreshing cup of iced coffee every Shabbat and during all of these holidays we’re in the midst of!

I know you’ll miss the beach, camp, and summer in general. But amazing iced coffee is one thing you don’t have to miss all winter long.

Cold Brewed Coffee from The New York Times:

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of coffee to every 1 cup water
• Filtered water (I use water from my Brita)
• A tiny pinch of salt (optional) – I like listening to Alton about everything. He puts salt in his coffee before brewing to get the harshness out of it. Without brewing, there really is no harshness, but salt brings out flavors, and we LOVE coffee, so we put a teeny pinch of salt.

Instructions:

1. Add coffee to jar (I use a 3-cup mason jar, so I put one cup of coffee)

2. Fill Jar with water (3 cups)

3. Let sit on counter for 12-24 hours.

4. Strain coffee grinds – I just pour it straight through the coffee filter in my coffee maker. Sometimes I put some cheese cloth or a coffee filter over another mason jar and pour it through, but that involves me standing over it for a while. This is WAY easier.

5. Enjoy the iced coffee any way you like it! My favorite is some crushed ice, half whole milk, and half coffee. What’s your favorite way to drink coffee?

Like the “green” coffee cup? It’s from Starbucks. A grande reusable double walled plastic cup. It rocks. If you see it there, buy 20, because they sell out fast. We also have a “venti” one with a candy-cane striped straw! Oh, and Starbucks gives you a discount if you use it. Other places aren’t so interested in filling it for you, but they’re perfect for bringing coffee from home!