Some people just love to tinker. In the kitchen, in the lab, in the workshop, on the computer. My long-time friend, Joe, just spontaneously experiments with food and drink, often with a zany sense of fun. He can meticulously tinker, as well. He can cook inventive, delicious, elaborate multi-course meals. He knows various techniques and has many kitchen skills. But what stands out in my mind are the impulsive, almost irreverent, break-the-rules moments. Leftover bottles or glasses of different wine at the end of a party? He might toss them all — red, white, whatever — in a glass and, with a few mouth-filling swishes, taste his special blend.
He did the coffee equivalent with our coffee. He brewed another type of coffee he had; and with our coffee, he machine brewed it and also made a pour-over. He sipped each, then he just tossed them altogether. Sipped, swished & swallowed. Paused to reflect & absorb. Then added ingredients that, in his opinion, will always improve coffee … half and half and sweetener. Joe will doctor his Joe how he likes and enjoy it. So there!
He also loves to whip up cocktails. So I challenged him to come up with recipes with our coffee, whether cold brew, iced coffee, or hot brew. We’ll see.
I admire Joe’s impulsiveness, since I’m more of a recipe follower (careful, predictable), and he’s like a super-hero alter-ego (carefree, bold, daring) with ever-present, wacky humor. If you like recipes, to follow or to use as inspiration, here are some creative cold brew recipes from the Perfect Daily Grind.
Here’s another: How to make cold brew, plus 20 extra recipes for tricking out your cold brew from Home Grounds. In the long article, there’s an FAQ about how to make cold brew without a cold brewer, which has always been my situation. I use the Mason jar technique or AeroPress, but I also don’t drink a lot of cold brew except mostly out of curiosity. How to make cold brew is addressed in our FAQs. Did you know we have FAQs? It’s under the “About” menu item.
If you haven’t already read the blog post about the AeroPress, you might want to check it out. If you can’t remember the iconic earlier invention of the AeroPress inventor, maybe you should skim the article again.
AND, last but not least, here’s the first of Joe’s recipes, the Kahlúa Pig Coffee …
4 oz Bea’s Knees Kona coffee
1 oz Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur
2 oz Maui Brewing Company Coffee Coconut Porter beer
Optional splash of creamer of your choice
(Serve piping hot or iced)
1 strip of candied bacon, laid across the top
After giving me the recipe, he said it needs to be iced, and needs a splash of whiskey. He also wrote, “not quite delicious enough.” I hope that means he’ll still fiddle with it! Great recipes often arise from dissatisfaction and/or kitchen mistakes. Thank you, Big Joe (AKA, Big Kahuna Kahlua Joe)!!
Big Joe here! Thanks for including me in your post! I’m very happy with it!
I told a chef friend who never lacks boldness that I said to “lay the bacon across the top” and he said “no way, shove that thing down in the drink.” He’s probably right. How about one in and one on top?
BTW, I hope to Guest Blog a few more recipes. I would say that the recipe in the above article is a bit un-serious. Stay tuned for actual delicious drinks.