Posts from — October 2007

If you’re not making your coffee with a laser then you’re clearly doing it wrong.

Your coffee not racy enough? Need a little more spice in your Sumatran? There’s one way to give your love affair with your daily cup a little more oomph and go a little more green in the process: give it a corset.

Jennifer George sews “coffee corsets” for your cup that takes the place of the conventional Java Jacket, letting you hold your coffee without the need to double cup. In that sense it’s actually a sustainable solution, which is what drew my attention to this quirky craft–Java Jackets help reduce paper waste caused by double-cupping but they too get thrown away, while a coffee corset can be reused. And because it ties like a corset (using a shoelace), you can adjust its size to fit any cup.

It’s a conversation piece, that’s for sure. And although Jennifer makes a line of–I’m not sure how this gets decided–“Unisex” coffee corsets, I admit you’re probably not going to see me waiting for the bus holding one. Still, it’s an original idea and a neat spin on the concept of sustainability.

Summer’s pretty definitively over, but you can hang on to what sun is left with this cold-brew-based drink that’s as good as it is simple to make.

There are plenty of systems for cold-brew (or “toddy”) coffees, but if you’re new to making cold-brewed coffee at home, it’s easy enough. Just measure into a sealable Tupperware container one tablespoon of coffee grounds for every six ounces of water, cover, then leave in your fridge overnight. The next day, pour the resulting mixture through a coffee filter and into a glass carafe. If your results aren’t quite as good as using a proper toddy coffee maker then feel free to experiment with grind size or measurements, but this should still yield a rich, drinkable cold brew.

After that, simply pour over ice and add sweetened coconut milk or rice milk at a 1:1 ratio, and you’ve got a cold and lightly sweet coffee drink that’s perfect as an after-lunch dessert or just on its own.

The secret awesomeness of this drink is how it lends itself to infinite variation. Add vanilla flavoring syrup, or a tablespoon of chocolate syrup and a mint leaf on top, or even some Bailey’s Irish cream. Add whipped cream and a cinnamon stick. One of my favorites is to mix half a tablespoon of chocolate powder such as Ghiradelli with half a tablespoon of raspberry syrup, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds and mix again, and stir into the drink. (Make sure they’re thoroughly mixed first; don’t add the fruit syrup directly to the drink or it will curdle the milk.) Heck, I’ve added Ovaltine to this drink and had it for breakfast!

Got your own idea for a spin on this simple drink? Try it out and let me know.