Summer Time and the Livin's Easy

After much unnecessary tarrying I finally committed to take the Registered Dietitian’s (RD) exam a few weeks ago. With summer rapidly approaching I wanted to avoid the objectionable combination of summer sun and stressful studying. The end result was that I passed! I can now officially call myself a Registered Dietitian. I haven’t quite yet determined how or where I am going to put my new credentials to work, but I would like to find a way to integrate nutrition education into my community service.

With my days of deliberate contemplation behind me, my mind is free to meander in other directions. Summer reading, iced coffee and the great outdoors have been among my preoccupations of late. Last week I trekked 7 miles of the Appalachian trail near Hanover. Recent rains and inadequate footwear made for a rather slippery scramble along the ups and downs. My snail-like progress was a welcome change of pace though.

Along with luring me out of doors, the rising temperatures have also prompted a change in my coffee habits. Iced coffee is a pleasing alternative method of caffeine delivery during the summer months. Preferring to do-it-myself I have been cold-brewing my iced coffee at home. Cold-brewing coffee results in a much different flavor profile compared with a hot extraction. It strongly concentrates certain flavor elements of coffee while other elements like acidity are lessened. The difference between hot and cold-brewing of coffee is mainly a function of time; the application of heat to coffee is a fast brew method, while cold-brewing is a slow process. While it can take 12 hrs or more to make iced coffee, cold-brewing is rather simple. It can easily be made in large quantities so it's always on hand.

How to Cold-Brew Coffee:

You will need ¼ to 1/3 cup of coarsely ground coffee per 1 cup (8 oz) of water. Mix coffee and cold, filtered water in a French press. Refrigerate. Allow the mixture to sit for a minimum of 3 hrs, and up to 12 hrs. When ready depress the plunger to separate the grinds from the liquid. Pour the coffee through a pour-over dripper fitted with a paper filter, into a storage container (such as a pitcher). Supposedly the resulting coffee is 2-3 times as concentrated as you would want to drink it, but I usually just drink as is. You can dilute with water if it’s too strong. Serve over ice. Liquid sweeteners such as agave nectar will dissolve better in cold coffee. Tastes best when served poolside along with a good book.