Coffee Secrets

[mitica100]

OK, I'm gonna spill the secrets on making good iced coffee:

For starters I use a Mexican coffee bean called Altura. I grind it medium-coarse and then I set it in a fabric filter, something like a pillow case. I place the whole thing in another pillow case so coffee grounds don't have a chance to get out. Then I top it with filtered water. It's important you don't use tap water unless it's filtered. Cover with a lid and leave undisturbed for 24 hours and then draw the coffee into a glass container. Cover with lid, refrigerate and use within 3-4 days. It is a very strong coffee, loaded with caffeine and it'll keep you awake all night if you drink one after 5pm. Serve over ice cubes, mix with cream/syrups of choice. Enjoy!

Oh yeah... Proportions... I use 1lb of ground coffee per gallon of water. Make our own quantities. Also, you can use any white or non-bleached fabric material that is dense enough to not let coffee grounds escape.

Also, for your info, Starbucks, Einstein's make iced coffee by cooling hot coffee and adding ice cubes. Their iced coffees are very acidic and almost sour to the taste. :puke:

My iced coffee has no acidity and it's unbelievably tasty!

Let me know how you guys and gals like it!...:razz:

Turkish coffee anyone?

[MissMia]

It is a very strong coffee, loaded with caffeine and it'll keep you awake all night if you drink one after 5pm.

He speaks the truth! :thumbsup:

[Aggie]

Go to a Thai market and get the fabric bags they have for their tea. Works just as well.

Here is my version, but i make protein lattes our of my coffee. Dan had to get me my second espresso machine since i wore my first one out. I take 16 oz. of milk (cold) add splenda to taste, and a drop of vanilla. To this i add two shots of easpresso. Add ice and one scoop of Any Whey protein powder. Low fat since i use 1% milk, no sugar, and kicks my non functioning thyroid in the butt to get going in the am. Some here have seen me have my morning latte. I also prefer the Mexican coffe beans fresh ground from the Chaipas or Oxacan (remember I can't spell worth a darn). Next would be the coffee from Guatemala. Trick for me is grind the beans fine right before i do the shots. That and just a drop of vanilla to smooth it all out. It's almost like carmel.

[mitica100]

OK... Turkish coffee secrets now:

Find the finest Arabica beans and grind them extremely fine, pretty much like flour. The regular grinders won't do it so you will need a specialized grinder, most likely manual. They make one out of brass, cylindrical and with a lever on top. Grinding the beans takes a lot of time but the rewards are great! Then you take a few beans of dried Cardamom and grind them the same way. Mix the two and you have Turkish coffee mix.

The trickiest part comes now! You will need a conical range top coffee pot, small enough to make two to three cups of coffee. Add about two cups of cold, filtered water and a teaspoon of sugar. Heat up and add one heaping teaspoonful of Turkish coffee mix. Watch for boiling signs (foam starting to rise). When the foam is starting to go up, remove pot from the heat and let the foam go down. Now put it back and repeat this three times. Care must be taken so the foam does not rise to the top. Now let the coffee sit for about two minutes, pour it into single shot espresso cups and serve it.

Notes:
-this coffee is unfiltered
-ground Turkish coffee can be bought at any Middle Eastern grocery store
-always serve the coffee with a glass of iced water next to it
-baklava will also enhance your taste buds' experience.

Enjoy!