Summer is officially here! But that doesn’t mean work stops. So how do we get that good ol’ jolt of caffeine goodness, but still beat the heat? Ice, ice, baby.
A refreshing cup of iced coffee is one of my favorite summer drinks (truth be told, I’ll drink iced coffee anytime of the year, even the dead of winter. I’m weird like that. But it is especially yummy in the heat). However, it’s always a huge bummer when your yummy chilled beverage gets all watered down because the ice melts (damn you, science!).
Luckily, we’ve got a sweet and simple way to keep that from happening – coffee ice cubes. Brilliant, right? Make the cubes out of coffee and then when they melt, your drink still stays as strong as ever! Best of all, these coffee cubes are a great way to utilize the leftover coffee from that morning pot o’ joe. Throw it in the freezer and have some coffee cubes ready for later that day. Check out the recipe below to see how to make coffee cubes for your iced coffee.
photo credit: coffeeloversofworld.com
photo credit: instructables.com
Now I’m sure you’re all way ahead of me, imagining lots of variations on these coffee cubes. And it’s true, the possibilities are endless. But let’s go through a few of them anyway.
Obviously, you can make your coffee cubes however you like your coffee –black, light, sugary, or not. If you happen to like your drink really light, fill a glass with milk and sugar and add black coffee cubes to it. If you add sweetened condensed milk, you’ll find yourself with some Vietnamese style coffee cubes. Or how about blending the coffee and coffee cubes together –coffee frappe, anyone? Make some cold brew cubes for an extra kick; or espresso cubes for an iced red-eye. Oh, and this idea isn’t just useful for iced coffee, either. If you’re running late to work and can’t wait for your cup of hot joe to cool down, throw in a few coffee cubes and it’ll be instantly drinkable (but not watery).
And yes, I hear you all screaming “but what about booze?!” Absolutely booze! Here’s a great recipe for a tasty dessert drink (I say dessert, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have dessert for brunch).
Try out your own recipes for flavored coffee cubes, or drinks that involve coffee cubes. And be sure to tell us about your yummy summery discoveries in the comments below. And hey, who says coffee is the limit? Keep all your favorite drinks from being watered down. How about iced tea, lemonade, juice …maybe kombucha? Does that freeze? Someone try it and let me know. Happy summer, ya’ll!
Lauren is a New York based actor/singer/writer. She is a graduate of the American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University as well as the College of the Holy Cross. She’s a fan of beer, pasta, and academic establishments with unnecessarily long titles. Find her on stage, or online– she’s there often.
