Keep
Your Cool This Summer with Iced Coffee Recipes (ARA) - As the temperatures
increase, so do the ways people "lighten up" their lifestyles.
Shorts, sandals and sleeveless shirts replace bulky, winter garments. Flannel
bed linens are shelved in favor of cotton sheets and pillowcases. Cooking takes
a light-and-easy approach, as grilled foods and fresh fruits and vegetables
become featured items at barbecues, picnics and pool parties.
It's no wonder that coffee drinkers also feel the need to "lighten up"
their java choices. Since steaming espressos, mochas, cappuccinos and lattes
tend to be too hot and thick for sultry summer days, many opt for
thirst-quenching iced coffees instead.
"There's no need to go to a retail coffeehouse when there are many
delicious and refreshing summer coffee drinks that can easily be prepared at
home," explains home-care expert Gerry Luepke. "All you need is a good
drip-style coffee maker or percolator and a few simple ingredients. And once the
recipes are completed, any excess coffee can be poured over ice cream for a
tasty Caf Glac or frozen in ice cube trays to accompany future icy drinks!"
Before embarking upon any iced coffee recipes, Luepke advises a thorough
cleaning of the equipment to be used. "Cleaning your automatic drip
coffeemaker or percolator on a regular basis will not only improve brewing time,
it will result in better tasting coffee. Automatic drip coffee-maker cleaners,
such as Dip-it, safely removes hidden lime, calcium and other water deposits
that build up inside automatic drip coffeemakers. It cleans better than vinegar
and without the unpleasant odor. RCN's Dip-it food and beverage powdered stain
remover performs a similar role for percolators, and is equally effective in
removing food and beverage stains from metal, porcelain, plasticware, glass and
countertops".
Now that your equipment is clean, why not try these two frosty summer coffee
recipes, courtesy of the American Dairy Association:
CREAMY MEXICAN CHOCOLATE ICED COFFEE
1 cup whipping cream, divided
6 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups double-strength coffee, cooled to room temperature
Ground cinnamon
Chocolate-covered coffee beans, if desired
Whip 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks, set aside. Combine remaining 1/2 cup cream,
syrup, sugar and 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a pitcher or bowl. Stir in
coffee until sugar dissolves. Fill 4 glasses with ice; pour coffee mixture over
ice. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Garnish with coffee
beans.
Makes four servings. Per serving: 296 calories, 22 grams of fat.
MAPLE-RUM ICED COFFEE
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup double-strength coffee, cooled to room temperature
1/4 cup half and half
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 and 1/2 tablespoons dark rum, or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Maple sugar sprinkles or brown sugar, if desired
Whip cream to soft peaks, set aside. Combine coffee, half-and-half, maple syrup
and rum or rum extract. Fill a tall glass with ice; pour coffee mixture over
ice. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with sugar sprinkles, if desired.
Makes one serving. 486 calories, 29 grams of fat.
Courtesy of Article Resource Association,
www.aracopy.com, info@aracopy.com
