Instructions for a Heat Wave

While I eagerly await Maggie O’Farrell’s new novel, I’ll borrow its title for this post. Last Sunday, the hellish heat wave finally broke, to universal relief. When we weren’t at work (air conditioning!) or sitting very still in front of the fan in the living room, we experimented with food and drink that didn’t require us to turn on the oven or stove. (Though one day – perhaps he will plead temporary insanity – Ben baked scones. And they were delicious. Next time we might replace half the AP flour with whole wheat, though. But still, who can bear to turn the oven on when it’s already 95 out?)

A week of 90-plus weather is a great time to try making cold brew coffee. I first heard about this method of making coffee from Cory Doctorow (in his novel, Homeland), but for specific instructions, we turned (as we so often do) to Deb at Smitten Kitchen (who, in turn, got the recipe from The New York Times).

To make the coffee concentrate, mix 1/3 cup ground coffee with 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix and let sit in the fridge overnight. When you want coffee, use equal parts of this “coffee concentrate” and water, over ice, with milk or cream if desired. (I made mine in a mason jar, with 4 oz. coffee, 4 oz. water, and a splash of cream. The ice cubes make a nice sound in the jar, and the lid doesn’t leak, so it’s portable!)

We also used our Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment for the first time, first to make peach ice cream and then to make mint oreo ice cream. For the latter we used the America’s Test Kitchen recipe for vanilla ice cream, then added 1 tsp peppermint extract and 8 crushed oreos. Results: divine. (How do I love thee, ATK? Let me count the ways…)

That, my friends, is how to survive a heat wave. (Although I would be delighted to enjoy cold coffee and ice cream (and watermelon!) in nice, temperate 70s or 80s weather. That’s enough of this 90+ degrees business.)