coffee

I started drinking coffee on my first co-op, when I worked at Fisher-Price. There was a break room with a seemingly fancy—and free—coffee machine that made vanilla lattes, cappuchinos, and hot chocolate in addition to regular joe. It was a quick minute-walk from my cubicle. But that's not the coffee I started drinking.

Almost daily (and without fail on Mondays and Fridays), the team I worked with would get together and head to the cafeteria for coffee. Instead of a two-minute round trip, this was often a 30-minute round trip to 'get the good stuff'. I went on these excursions for the people, for the conversations that happened on the way to and from the cafeteria. The coffee was simply a bonus.

After that, it took awhile for coffee to become a part of my day-to-day routine. I bought a French press at the beginning of my senior year of college and started getting used to waking up with a cup. After graduation, drinking half caff with my mom every morning felt like bonding. And now, as a freelancer, I drink a cup or two pretty much every day. I don't really drink coffee for the caffeine so much as I drink it for the routine, the reliability, and the comfort. 

These days, I've been dabbling in iced coffee.

When I co-opted in downtown Boston, I marveled at the fact that a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee was practically part of the corporate uniform. Really, Dunkin' is an ingrained part of Boston (New England?) culture. And in the warmer months, people switch to iced coffee. It's good—sweet, creamy, and cold. So why not try making it at home?

I found a great, simple recipe over at Smitten Kitchen (here), and gave it a try. The coffee comes out smooth, strong, and not-at-all bitter. And it's oh-so-easy:

I recommend giving this a try before the crisp (and slightly cooler) autumn days get here. Want to be a smidge fancy? Freeze some coffee ice cubes so your iced coffee doesn't get diluted and watery. And whatever you do, don't forget a straw!