Beverages

Coffee seems to be the number one choice of a lot of grown-ups when I ask what they would like to drink at my bed and breakfast. You would think it wouldn’t be that hard to make; after all it is only coffee and water - right? I have purchased a number of different coffee makers in my life looking for a pot that would make the perfect cup of coffee and I think I have finally found one - and it wasn’t that expensive! It is called the Cold-Brew system. I will have to admit that I have read reviews on the Internet where a few do not like it, but the majority say great things about it and after trying it for a couple weeks I would have to say that I fall in the category of liking it!
You start with a pound of coffee which should always be freshly ground. Then you place these grounds in the top of the cold-brew pot and pour cold water over the grounds. That mixture of coffee and water sits at room temperature for 12 hours at which time you pull the plug out of the top container and let the coffee brew drip down into it’s carafe. This coffee concentrate can then be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. When you want a cup of coffee you boil some water and add the concentrate with a ration of 3 parts water and 1 part concentrate. One of the things I really like about this method is the fact you make only one cup at a time so you don’t have any waste. It also claims that there is 67% less acid than coffee brewed by conventional hot water methods. The instruction book that came with my coffee maker even has some recipes for making a variety of things using the concentrate.
Another excellent way to make coffee is with a “French-Press.” These pots are tall, cylindrically shaped glass pots and come equipped with stainless steel and nylon filters which are the same diameter as the inside of the pot. These filters are attached at the center to a long metal rod which goes through the center of the pot’s lid. When the lid is placed on the pot, the rod is pressed and the close-fitting filter is forced to the bottom of the pot. To brew the filter is pulled out and the lid is removed, the desired amount of freshly (and coarsely) ground coffee is added to the pot and 195 degree water is poured in. It is best to stir the coffee and water so as to disrupt any pockets of dry coffee which may hide in the bottom. After four minutes or so place the thoroughly cleaned lid/plunger on the pot and press the plunger down. The filter will slowly allow itself to be pressed to the bottom of the pot and thereby take all the coffee grounds with it. The resulting brew should be poured immediately so as to avoid letting the grounds overheat, thus making the coffee bitter. Plunger pots make coffee that is dense and murky. This is because their filters allow more dissolved oils and fine particulate matter to pass through. The resulting coffee is heavier in body and more complex in aroma and flavor.
Now for some “fun” beverages:

Hot Chocolate

How is hot chocolate different from hot cocoa? Hot chocolate is basically like drinking a melted candy bar; the chopped chocolate contains cocoa butter which makes it richer and smoother. Cocoa is powdered and contains no cocoa butter and thus very little fat. It also contains dried milk, sugar, and added flavors. This is the real stuff, and once you try it you may never want drink hot cocoa again! The recipe here serves four, it may not look like a lot but believe me it’s very rich and one cup is more than enough for a single person.
Chocolate to Use: If you plan to make good hot chocolate, it helps to start with quality chocolate. Scharffen Berger, Guittard, and Valrhona are great choices if you can find them where you are. I suggest using bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Bittersweet has little sugar added to it so you’ll get a more pure chocolate taste. Semisweet works too, and usually has more sugar added to it than bittersweet. What about those cacao percentages? The higher the cacao percentage (noted on the chocolate package) the more chocolate solids are in the product, and therefore the higher intensity of chocolate flavor. Semisweet is usually 35-40% cacao, bittersweet up to (and sometimes higher than) 75%. 100% cacao is unsweetened chocolate, which is fine for baking, but you probably don’t want to use it for hot chocolate. Milk chocolate already has milk solids added to it and has a very low (about 20%) cacao percentage. Milk, Soy, or Water? Whole milk lends to the creaminess and sweetness of hot chocolate, but feel free to use lowfat or nonfat milk if you prefer. For a thicker, richer hot chocolate, switch out 1/4 cup of milk for cream. Soy milk is an alternative if you are lactose intolerant. Use unflavored or vanilla soy milk. Believe it or not, you can use water instead of milk (though most people use milk). Water allows the chocolate to show off its true flavors and unique characteristics, however you lose the creamy feel and taste when you don’t use milk. Spices & Herbs Experiment with spices and herbs to create unique flavors with your hot chocolate. Centuries ago the Aztecs made hot chocolate using cinnamon and chili peppers, a combination that some still enjoy today. Many flavors can be added to chocolate, such as the classic flavors of peppermint, orange, and vanilla. You might also try lavender, bay leaf, or star anise. Brew spices into the milk (or soy milk or water) during the initial heating process. After the milk is steamy, strain out the spices and herbs and return the hot, flavored milk back to the pan and add the chocolate as you normally would.
Liquors: A small addition of liquor is a fun way to warm the body on a cold night. About 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of liquor is the right amount per cup of liquid being used. Most any favorite liquor will work. Dark chocolate with a dark Guinness is a perfect combo. Cinnamon or peppermint schnapps with hot chocolate are classic companions. Kahlua and chocolate makes for a sort of mocha-esque treat that you won’t find at your local coffee shop. A popular way to drink hot chocolate in Canada is to add a bit of whisky and (real) maple syrup.
Whipped Cream: Regardless how you make it, I think whipped cream makes hot chocolate (or anything really) better. Feel free to use an extract such as vanilla or anise to flavor the whipped cream. Once dolloped onto your drink a small sprinkling of nuts, cocoa powder, or ground spices is a great way to add flavor and pump up the presentation. My best advice to creating your perfectly flavored hot chocolate is to make it as you like it. Feel free to experiment as I doubt friends and family will mind being subjected to cup after cup of chocolate.
4 cups whole milk
8 ounces chocolate - (60% cacao, preferably)
3 teaspoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Finely chop the chocolate into small pieces. The pieces have to be able to dissolve easily in the liquid.
Place the milk into a small, thick-bottomed pot on low heat and bring to a low simmer. Whisk once in a while to ensure that the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
If you plan to steep herbs or spices, add the herbs or spices to the milk, bring to a simmer then take off heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid then place back into the pot and return to a simmer.
Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, salt, and chocolate and whisk vigorously until the chocolate has melted.
If using liquors add them to the chocolate.
Heat for another 4 minutes, constantly stirring.
Serve. Add a dollop of whipped cream if you want.

Pomegranate Breakfast Soda

16 ounces pomegranate juice
16 ounces sparkling water
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
Mix the ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

Raspberry Iced Tea

18 ea black tea bags - or 3/4 cup loose tea
2 qt water
2 qt ice - as needed
3 cup raspberry flavored syrup - more or less as desired
1: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot or tea kettle and remove from heat. Add the tea and cover immediately. Allow the tea to steep for 2-3 minutes. While the tea steeps, place ice and syrup in a large pitcher.
2 Remove the tea bags or use a fine wire strainer as you slowly pour the tea over the ice and syrup. Add more ice as needed until the volume is doubled. Stir well to dissolve and distribute the syrup.
3 Refrigerate immediately until thoroughly chilled, about 15 minutes. Adjust the flavor as desired with additional syrup and serve at once. Make ice cubes with some of the finished tea if you are bringing it to a picnic to prevent diluting the tea. Print this post