Summer Coffee

The hot summer weather has returned and we are savouring it's short, sweet visit to our part of the world.  And as we bask in the full throes of summer we may not always want a "hot" cup of coffee.  Now is the perfect time to try some different ways to enjoy our Ometepe brew.  Iced coffee is a simple option.  Simply chill some coffee and/or add ice cubes.  You can even make coffee ice cubes if you don't want to water down your delicious Ometepe brew.  Add a little cream, milk or sugar to make it even more delicious.  Remember to add your sugar prior to cooling the coffee so it dissolves easily.

A coffee granita is a refreshing treat on a hot day.  I made mine by simply freezing some leftover coffee in a shallow pan and then giving it a spin in a food processor.  Perfect ice shavings!  The proper way is to make some espresso, sweeten it, and freeze, continually scraping at the freezing mixture to create ice granules.  Here's a recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/coffee-granita-recipe.html  Mine was the quick and easy kind but it worked.  Next time I think Iwill add a little sweetener. I also added a little cooled coffee for more of a "drink" than a desert.

Granita 

Another favourite summer coffee treat is an affogatto.  Affogatto means "drowned" in Italian, not normally a good thing but in this case something quite delicious. All you need is a little ice cream and some espresso (brewed coffee works too if you don't have an espresso maker). Pour your espresso in a cup, add a scoop of ice cream and you're ready to sit on the deck and relax with a good book.  Traditionally an affogatto is made with vanilla ice cream but we tried 2 different versions; one with chocolate goat milk gelato from Salt Spring Cheese  and the second with hazelnut gelato from Salt Spring Gelato.  Both were delicious.

Affogato with hazelnut gelato

And if you're feeling really experimental you can try making some cold brewed coffee where you use cool water and let the coffee steep overnight.  This brew can be decanted and stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, ready for your cool weather drinking pleasure.  Here's the how to's of cold brew: https://tonx.org/cold-brew-guide

Happy summer coffee drinking! And don't forget to come visit our volunteers at the Saturday market where you can grab a cup of coffee to enjoy in the park or pick up some beans to take home for your coffee treats.