|
|
Coffee on Ice is Twice as Nice when Summer’s Heat Starts to Brew |
By: Courtesy of ARA Content |
It’s official -- summer is here. With warmer weather comes a change in our dining habits as more Americans enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, dine alfresco, and take pleasure in barbeques with friends and family. A similar change occurs with our daily coffee intake. While Americans still enjoy their morning coffee when the mercury rises, the tendency for many is to prefer it on the rocks.
When hazy, hot and humid days take over, more and more people chose a tall, cool glass of iced coffee. According to the National Coffee Association, more than 2 million people enjoy iced coffee daily, an additional 6 million drink it weekly, and forty-one million indulge in an iced coffee pick-me-up occasionally.
“The benefit of iced coffee is that it’s easy to prepare and store at home,” says Ellen Walker, Product Development Manager for Dunkin’ Donuts. “While it’s very similar to brewing hot coffee, there are some simple brewing and storage tips to keep in mind to ensure a perfect pot everyday, morning, noon or night.”
* For a full-flavored pot of iced coffee, double the amount of ground coffee you would normally use to brew hot coffee. For an added flavor kick, use Dunkin’ Donuts vanilla or hazelnut ground coffee.
* After brewing, add ice until the mixture doubles in volume, then add milk, cream or sugar to taste.
* Brew your coffee in the evening and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for quick and easy access in the morning.
* Like hot coffee, always start with the highest-quality fresh coffee beans. Look for a label that says “100 percent Arabica” beans.
* Keep coffee beans at room temperature. If coffee beans are stored in the refrigerator or freezer, they absorb food odors and condensation and the flavor of the coffee won't be up to par.
* Grind your coffee just before brewing; pre-grinding may cause your coffee to go stale. The grind level should match your coffee brewer or individual taste; finer ground coffee yields a stronger flavor, while course grind will yield a weaker flavor.
* Store unused ground coffee in an air-tight container that is not see-through, in a cool dry place, away from heat or sunlight, and not in the refrigerator or freezer.
* Clean your coffee brewer and carafe of any residue or oils from previous brewing.
* Always use fresh, cold water for brewing coffee.
When you’re out of the house and craving a revitalizing drink, try one of Dunkin’ Donuts new iced lattes in regular and decaf, hazelnut, French vanilla and cinnamon, as well as caramel or mocha swirl; or their delicious iced coffees, available in regular, decaf, vanilla, hazelnut and Kahlua. For more facts on iced coffee, visit dunkindonuts.com.
|
Email this Article
Print this Article