Things that get left out overnight on our kitchen counter.

We read this article last year, tried it, and were BLOWN away. We’re pretty major coffee drinkers, but who wants to drink hot coffee in the summer? We thought we found the answer when the bagel store on the corner was selling iced coffed with (get this) coffee ice cubes! We were hooked. Then they started charging extra for the coffee cubes. Then they stopped offering them all together, and even looked confused when I asked about them. As if I had dreamed this up.

Anyway, thank you Cindy Price, for opening up our eyes to the wonder that is cold brewed iced coffee. We made our first batch of the season tonight. I hope it’s hot tomorrow!

Recipe: Cold-Brewed ICED COFFEE

Time: 5 minutes, plus 12 hours’ resting (2 servings)

1/3 cup ground coffee (medium-coarse grind is best)

1. In a jar, stir together coffee and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or 12 hours.

2. Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine-mesh sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth. In a tall glass filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee concentrate and water, or to taste.

Here she is, just hanging out on the kitchen counter til tomorrow.

DAY 2 REPORT FROM THE GROWING CULTURE

Lots of reproduction happening in our kitchen. Yes, we’ve created a world that all the yeast in the air want to get a piece of.

The jar smelt a bit more rank today. The colony, she was hungry when I pulled back her plastic wrap. “Feed me, Seymour”, I heard coming from within the bubbly bath of fermentation. So, I did. She got 50g of bread flour, and 1/3 cup (65g) tepid spring water. She was stirred until smooth, loosely covered with plastic wrap and now she’s back…on the kitchen counter.

View Day One of the sourdough culture growing….

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Cultural Experience

After experimenting and trying out a lot of instant yeast breads (two shown here, Country White and Honey Whole Wheat), I feel it is time to move into deeper territory. It is time to develop my own culture. In reading Local Breads by Daniel Leader of Bread Alone, I learned that anyone can make their own “starter” from just flour and water. That’s right, you don’t need an ‘in’ with San Francisco’s bread making elite… who knew?! Now my sous chefs will be yeast and bacteria dormant in the apartment air (kinda strange). They will help me create flavorful, tangy sourdough.

This process can apparently take up to 10 days, but requires very little actual work.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 Cup Tepid spring water
• 3 Tbsp (25g) Rye flour
• 3 Tbsp (25g) Unbleached Bread flour

Method:

Combine ingredients in a large glass jar and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature. Stir for 30 seconds every 8 hours for 24 hours….

We’re fishing for yeast…I hope we catch something tasty.

Day One:

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