Cold brew coffee

When it comes to coffee I am a downright peasant. Sure, I turn up my nose at pre-grated parmesan, margarine, etc etc. But when it comes to coffee I can't exist without plain ol' Nescafe. Always have, always will. I do order the occasional cappucinno or espresso when I meet friends at Starbucks or Coffee Bean, but that's mostly because, well, you're sitting in the cafe, you gotta order something, right? I am also steering clear of the current fad - Nespresso/CBTL capsule coffee machines. Most of our friends have already bought theirs. Me, I gotta have my daily shot of my (relatively) cheap caffeine every morning from instant Nescafe, and I'm set to go. I do brew coffee with my gorgeous Bodum French Press (a birthday gift from my mum) and my percolator for the fun of it. I love the process of brewing more than the drinking (Nescafe is all I really need), if I were to be entirely truthful. All in all, I do think that my wallet and the environment  ought to give me some credit. :)

Recently another foodie fad caught my eye (I am shamelessly behind it all- be it caramel, salt in desserts. But I try, people, I try). Cold brew coffee. According to the Curious Cook Harold McGee in his NY Times article, cold brews tend to contain less caffeine and less acid. Less caffeine, hmm. Not too sure about that. Less acid is most welcome. McGee also claims that cold brews taste fruitier and more refreshing. And it's so easy, people. Like, ridiculous. Just steep coffee grounds overnight in water (room temp, cold, I've come across recipes for both - if you can call them recipes). Strain and store in fridge. Pour over ice cubes, add milk  and sugar syrup. Duh. If this is too easy for you, this wonderful site that warrants a lot more vistis has some pretty detailed instructions on getting the best out of your cold brew. I tried 12 hours at room temp and another 12 in the fridge. My brew came out still slightly acidic - next time I'm gonna try using a milder blend, and steep in the fridge instead of at room temp. After all, unlike dumplings or cookies, this is one recipe easy enough to warrant multiple attempts at perfection :)