Cold calculation
Oh what-what, and how to make iced coffee, we all know. Or think we know. Anahit Piruzyan offers an unusual master new technology.
Most recently, being in San Francisco, I was leafing through a local newspaper at breakfast, and caught my attention an article which in the first sentence stated that the best iced coffee in the world are preparing not just anywhere but in New Orleans, State of Louisiana. There was no time to penetrate, and I brought a newspaper with him to Moscow for a calm environment to understand why - in New Orleans.
Article was really curious. The author explained: the whole point is that in New Orleans coffee is traditionally brewed entirely different way. First, middle-ground coffee is poured cold water in certain proportions, and then infused 12 hours, if not more. Then the liquid is filtered and cleaned in the refrigerator. This - so-called coffee concentrate. When you want a refreshing drink of cold coffee (as in New Orleans it was thirsty all the time because of the terrible heat and the irresistible pull of the night life), this is the concentrate is diluted with water, preferably with milk - and in front of you the very gentle, very gentle, very velvety cold coffee in the world. This coffee concentrate, the author asserts, is always available in the refrigerator for any New Orleans mistress, and from morning to evening drink all the inhabitants of the motherland of jazz in all its many bars and coffee shops, because it is an integral part of its culture. And the rest of the world's population does not have the slightest idea of what they are missing. I was, of course, very intrigued. Moreover, for two reasons. First, I have many years of terrible interest and beckons all that relates to New Orleans - the city where I never was. But the must visit, because what I read about him and saw a movie (for example, in the indescribably beautiful "Interview with the Vampire"), shows - it is very strange, original and most un-American of American cities. The town where the people in spite of total business-like nowhere in no hurry and in spite of universal piety believe in witchcraft. And contrary to the notorious American Puritanism most valued personal freedom in its most wonderful (with the accent on the letter "s") and even unruly manifestations. This is me, at least, an impression. Not to mention the fact that this city, where there is such a thing as a Creole cuisine! I even had it seriously gathered, but Hurricane Katrina struck and upset my plans. However, since the historical city center was not injured, was still ahead.
The second reason is that I had a rather difficult relationship with coffee. Not every coffee I drink. Instant does not take into account, since, in principle, will never drink and I do not advise anyone. But in the kind I often prevented any further unpleasant tastes - it is too bitter or too sour. But in the coffee concentrate is not. When heated from coffee liberated acid and bitter to the taste of fat, but in the process of cooling of hot coffee in the refrigerator bitterness only increased. But precisely because we are preparing iced coffee: first cook it, then cool. With coffee concentrate all the way: the cold water provides a clean coffee taste without extra acid and bitterness - even there is no need to add sugar. Since then coffee contains almost 70% less acidity than usual, it can safely drink the people affected, for example, gastritis. And who is it in our time does not suffer?
In general, I tried and now I can report. Cooking - a snap, the result - wonderful. All as promised. I threw a half-cup of a concentrate-half cup of milk, added a couple of ice cubes and got a nice drink with a really rich flavor and velvety texture. However, the proportion in which to breed - a matter of taste. The main thing - to know that from a cold brew caffeine nowhere vanishes and coffee turns out not weaker than usual. So that dilute the concentrate should be depending on what strength of coffee you like.
Besides, I'm not too lazy, sat on the Internet and found out that there are several theories of origin of such a method. One says that it is either an ancient Peruvian, Guatemalan either way, the other - that he came from the Indonesian island of Java. The third argues that he was born in the southern U.S., where it thrives to this day. And yet in America in 1964 by a man named Todd Simpson was invented a special device to prepare the concentrate. While it may be perfectly reasonable glass jar or a pot of material not entering in reaction with coffee.
Perhaps I had my little experiment is not the time - on the court soon after winter. But I am very pleased with the work: the summer I met fully armed. After all, what is the charm - you can pile a large supply of concentrate and keep it in the refrigerator (up to 10 days). And when a beautiful summer evening guests arrive, you can, no straining, put in front of each a big glass of the best in the world of cold coffee.
Oh what-what, and how to make iced coffee, we all know. Or think we know. Anahit Piruzyan offers an unusual master new technology.
Most recently, being in San Francisco, I was leafing through a local newspaper at breakfast, and caught my attention an article which in the first sentence stated that the best iced coffee in the world are preparing not just anywhere but in New Orleans, State of Louisiana. There was no time to penetrate, and I brought a newspaper with him to Moscow for a calm environment to understand why - in New Orleans.
Article was really curious. The author explained: the whole point is that in New Orleans coffee is traditionally brewed entirely different way. First, middle-ground coffee is poured cold water in certain proportions, and then infused 12 hours, if not more. Then the liquid is filtered and cleaned in the refrigerator. This - so-called coffee concentrate. When you want a refreshing drink of cold coffee (as in New Orleans it was thirsty all the time because of the terrible heat and the irresistible pull of the night life), this is the concentrate is diluted with water, preferably with milk - and in front of you the very gentle, very gentle, very velvety cold coffee in the world. This coffee concentrate, the author asserts, is always available in the refrigerator for any New Orleans mistress, and from morning to evening drink all the inhabitants of the motherland of jazz in all its many bars and coffee shops, because it is an integral part of its culture. And the rest of the world's population does not have the slightest idea of what they are missing. I was, of course, very intrigued. Moreover, for two reasons. First, I have many years of terrible interest and beckons all that relates to New Orleans - the city where I never was. But the must visit, because what I read about him and saw a movie (for example, in the indescribably beautiful "Interview with the Vampire"), shows - it is very strange, original and most un-American of American cities. The town where the people in spite of total business-like nowhere in no hurry and in spite of universal piety believe in witchcraft. And contrary to the notorious American Puritanism most valued personal freedom in its most wonderful (with the accent on the letter "s") and even unruly manifestations. This is me, at least, an impression. Not to mention the fact that this city, where there is such a thing as a Creole cuisine! I even had it seriously gathered, but Hurricane Katrina struck and upset my plans. However, since the historical city center was not injured, was still ahead.
The second reason is that I had a rather difficult relationship with coffee. Not every coffee I drink. Instant does not take into account, since, in principle, will never drink and I do not advise anyone. But in the kind I often prevented any further unpleasant tastes - it is too bitter or too sour. But in the coffee concentrate is not. When heated from coffee liberated acid and bitter to the taste of fat, but in the process of cooling of hot coffee in the refrigerator bitterness only increased. But precisely because we are preparing iced coffee: first cook it, then cool. With coffee concentrate all the way: the cold water provides a clean coffee taste without extra acid and bitterness - even there is no need to add sugar. Since then coffee contains almost 70% less acidity than usual, it can safely drink the people affected, for example, gastritis. And who is it in our time does not suffer?
In general, I tried and now I can report. Cooking - a snap, the result - wonderful. All as promised. I threw a half-cup of a concentrate-half cup of milk, added a couple of ice cubes and got a nice drink with a really rich flavor and velvety texture. However, the proportion in which to breed - a matter of taste. The main thing - to know that from a cold brew caffeine nowhere vanishes and coffee turns out not weaker than usual. So that dilute the concentrate should be depending on what strength of coffee you like.
Besides, I'm not too lazy, sat on the Internet and found out that there are several theories of origin of such a method. One says that it is either an ancient Peruvian, Guatemalan either way, the other - that he came from the Indonesian island of Java. The third argues that he was born in the southern U.S., where it thrives to this day. And yet in America in 1964 by a man named Todd Simpson was invented a special device to prepare the concentrate. While it may be perfectly reasonable glass jar or a pot of material not entering in reaction with coffee.
Perhaps I had my little experiment is not the time - on the court soon after winter. But I am very pleased with the work: the summer I met fully armed. After all, what is the charm - you can pile a large supply of concentrate and keep it in the refrigerator (up to 10 days). And when a beautiful summer evening guests arrive, you can, no straining, put in front of each a big glass of the best in the world of cold coffee.
