Easy, Delish Coffee & Espresso At Home

Coming at ya with one final post for 2018! I thought I’d take a break from the traditional recipe post and share a helpful guide for making coffee at home – without an fancy tools or equipment.

Cold brew is my preferred method for coffee because a) It’s less acidic than other methods b) Doesn’t require any sort of coffee machine  c) stays fresh for 7-10 days in the fridge and d) Creates a concentrate so it is easy to make lattes and other drinks that require a stronger brew

Now let’s get started!

Easy, Delish Coffee & Espresso At Home

You’ll need:

Freshly roasted, local, organic whole-bean coffee* (see notes below)

Mason jars

Fine mesh strainer/sieve

Hand-held frother

Possibly: Cheesecloth or a thin towel (depending on the quality of your strainer) 

Time: 12-16 hours

Method:

1. Coarsely grind the coffee at a coffee shop, grocery store, or high-quality home grinder
2. Combine 1 c ground coffee and 2 c cold filtered water in a large glass container and stir to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
3. After 12-16 hours, strain the coffee through your strainer, using a spoon to press liquid from the grounds. If the coffee comes through without any ground – perfect. Otherwise, strain again, this time lining the strainer with a thin kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Discard grounds.
4. Store the coffee in a mason jar, refrigerated. Note: If the coffee does not measure 12 oz, add enough water to equal 12 oz.

Making coffee drinks:

Traditional hot coffee: combine 4 oz coffee with 4-6 oz filtered water. Heat to a simmer. Pour in a mug and enjoy black or add 1-2 tbsp cream (I like Califia Farms Better Half creamer)

Cafe Au Lait: combine 4 oz coffee with 4-6 oz organic soy or oat milk. Heat to a simmer. Pour in a mug and use a frother to create desired amount of foam. I usually add cinnamon before frothing!

Latte: combine 2 oz coffee with 10 oz organic soy or oat milk. Heat to a simmer. Pour in a mug and use a frother to create desired amount of foam. I usually add cinnamon before frothing! Note: I usually use espresso beans and slightly less water if I am going to be making more lattes than coffee or make 1 brew for coffee and separate one for lattes 😉

Iced Latte: Fill a glass with ice or frozen milk cubes. Pour 4 oz coffee and 8-10 oz almond, soy, or cashew milk into the glass. Enjoy immediately.

Cortado: Heat 2 oz coffee until simmering. Pour in a short glass/ cortado class. Heat 2 oz non-dairy milk to a simmer. Pour into a separate glass and froth until quite foamy. Pour the milk over the espresso and enjoy immediately.

• My favorites are Chicago House Blend, Stomping Ground Espresso, Two Brothers’ Medium Roast

Stay tuned for my guide to making the perfect pour-over!