Iced coffee, what do you use and how do you make it? - Page 2

#11: Post by **Spresso_Bean** » July 9th, 2007, 1:19 pm

I usually fill a tall glass with ice, pull the shots and set them aside. I steam enough milk for the drink, then pour about 1/4 of the milk into the glass of ice. I swirl it around and then add the shots as I pour the remainder of the milk. It mixes up pretty well that way. I guess ice cubes could be made from espresso or an Americano to minimize the watered down effect. A lot of times I finish it before the ice has a chance to really melt anyway.

#12: Post by **Niko** » July 9th, 2007, 1:41 pm

cannonfodder wrote:The Elektra A3 has a spacious group to drip tray opening, but the cup is still too large to fit under in its upright position.

Dave, I was under the impression that you can park a small compact car under the A3. What is the actual clearance with the double spout attached?

#13: Post by **Kaffee Bitte** » July 9th, 2007, 3:38 pm

Along with iced lattes or mochas, I have found an espresso milkshake to do wonders on super hot days. The key to making it just right is prepping the ice cream and milk in the blender just before pulling the shots. Also very important is using a good deal less milk than you would normally use in a milkshake since the espresso will tend to make for soupy shakes with too much. Recommend using a good vanilla ice cream and your favorite espresso.

It isn't just a cooling drink it is one hell of a treat.

#14: Post by **jesawdy** » July 9th, 2007, 6:17 pm

Kaffee Bitte wrote:Along with iced lattes or mochas, I have found an espresso milkshake to do wonders on super hot days. The key to making it just right is prepping the ice cream and milk in the blender just before pulling the shots. Also very important is using a good deal less milk than you would normally use in a milkshake since the espresso will tend to make for soupy shakes with too much. Recommend using a good vanilla ice cream and your favorite espresso.

+1 on the espresso shake. I pull the shot mid shake prep or just prior. The kids usually get a vanilla shake with banana and cinnamon. I'll take what ever is left in the blender, add some more ice cream and a fresh double shot. It's pretty tasty.

I haven't messed with iced coffee in some time but this thread is inpiring me to do so. I am surpirsed at the number of people that still steam their milk even for and iced beverage. I don't think I would have thought to try that.

July 9th, 2007, 9:00 pm

Niko wrote:Dave, I was under the impression that you can park a small compact car under the A3. What is the actual clearance with the double spout attached?

From the drip tray to the bottom of the group is 6 1/4 inches. With a single spout portafilter (without the portafilter factory extension) it is 4 inches from end of spout to top of drip tray. My drinking glasses are 6 ¼ inches tall.

#16: Post by **Dogshot** » July 10th, 2007, 7:36 am

cannonfodder wrote:Hot day! It is not that bad in Ohio but still pretty warm (around 90) and the humidity is high. I spent a good part of the day staining my deck (takes 4 gallons of stain, big deck) and smoking brisket. Had another iced coffee to help cool off. When it gets to bad, I have 20,000 gallons of water in the back yard, which is what the deck goes around, to cool off in.

Very OT, but what are you using to smoke the brisket? I picked up a Big Green Egg about a month ago and have been really enjoying it. Did a 9lb pulled Boston Butt, cooked for 13hrs that turned out beautifully. The Egg retains heat like a brick oven, so I have also been making pizzas and bagels. Temperature management on the Egg is a pleasure, and cooking on it reminds me of the pleasure of making great espresso.

Mark

#17: Post by **CParrish73** » July 10th, 2007, 11:41 pm

Have you ever tried cafe suda (Vietnamese iced coffee)?

Before you try and make this, I suggest going to a Vietnamese restaurant and ordering it. This way you can peek in the filter and see about how much coffee to use and you can see about how much milk to use.

What you will need:
1. 2 to 4 tablespoons finely ground dark roast coffee (preferably with chicory)
2. 2 to 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (e.g., Borden Eagle Brand, not evaporated milk!)
3. Boiling water
4. Vietnamese coffee press
5. Ice cubes, I prefer the kind like you get at Sonic. When you are done drinking it you then have coffee coated ice cubes to chew.

How to make it:

Place ground coffee in Vietnamese coffee press and screw lid down on the grounds. Put the sweetened condensed milk in the bottom of a coffee cup and set the coffee maker on the rim. Pour boiling water over the screw lid of the press; adjust the tension on the screw lid just till bubbles appear through the water, and the coffee drips slowly out the bottom of the press.

When all water has dripped through, stir the milk and coffee together. You can drink them like this, just warm, as ca phe sua neng, but I prefer it over ice, as ca phe sua da. To serve it that way, pour the milk-coffee mixture over ice, stir, and drink as slowly as you can manage. This is a great cup of coffee on a hot day or after a big bowl of Pho.

A Vietnamese coffee press looks like a stainless steel top hat. There's a "brim" that rests on the coffee cup; in the middle of that is a cylinder with tiny perforations in the bottom. Above that rises a threaded rod, to which you screw the top of the press, which is a disc with similar tiny perforations. Water trickles through these, extracts flavor from the coffee, and then trickles through the bottom perforations. It is excruciatingly slow. Loosening the top disc speeds the process, but also weakens the resulting coffee and adds sediment to the brew.

If you can't find a Vietnamese coffee press, regular-strength espresso is an adequate substitute, particularly if made with French-roast beans or with a dark coffee with chicory. I've seen the commonly available Cafe Du Monde brand coffee cans in Vietnamese restaurants or an Asian market.

Vietnamese coffee should taste more or less like melted Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

#18: Post by **lilotaku** » July 12th, 2007, 4:30 am

Dogshot wrote:Very OT, but what are you using to smoke the brisket? I picked up a Big Green Egg about a month ago and have been really enjoying it. Did a 9lb pulled Boston Butt, cooked for 13hrs that turned out beautifully. The Egg retains heat like a brick oven, so I have also been making pizzas and bagels. Temperature management on the Egg is a pleasure, and cooking on it reminds me of the pleasure of making great espresso.

Mark

I've been looking at those Big Green Eggs for a few months now and i've always really wanted to get one, but didn't know of anyone who owned one. Just looking at your pic definitely makes me want to get one even more now!

#19: Post by **Cathi** » July 12th, 2007, 5:40 pm

lilotaku wrote:I've been looking at those Big Green Eggs for a few months now and i've always really wanted to get one, but didn't know of anyone who owned one. Just looking at your pic definitaly makes me want to get one even more now!

Be prepared to pony up - those guys are expensive. My hubby's been eyeing one for quite awhile.

#20: Post by **jasonmolinari** » July 19th, 2007, 2:49 pm

Cafe sua da is great. I bought a pound bag of roasted ground chicory from Sweet Marias a few years ago, and i add a teaspoon of that to a few teaspoons of my own beans. That way i don't have to buy crappy canned coffee with chicory. Tom says the chicory keeps basically forever. I think mine has lost of of its punch, it is well over 2 years old.

Anyhow, a nice sweet, iced coffee is great in the summer.