Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

A stupidly smart idea

June3

wfmwbannerkristenI never liked iced coffee until I lived in Antigua.  My friend, Seegal, got a slushy coffee drink at Contessa Cafe and it looked pretty good.  After she headed back to the states with her beautiful Abby, I decided to try it one day when it was almost too hot for coffee (if you’ve been to Guatemala, you know the coffee is so good that it is never really too hot).  It was sweet and creamy and yummy – just how I like my coffee.

Fast forward to our bringing Sabrina home (it will be 2 years in 2 days!), we moved to the surface of the sun Nashville.  Some mornings it really is too hot to enjoy coffee.  So I started making iced coffee at home.  After some experimenting, I learned to make the coffee really strong so it would still taste good when the ice melted. I also learned that ice coffee only tastes right when you drink it through a straw.  I don’t know why.

dsc09982This spring, I was reading a novel set in the south.  One woman criticized another woman’s iced tea as too watery (oh no she di’in’t) and suggested she freeze iced tea in ice cube trays so that the ice didn’t water it down.  I was struck with how brillant that was.  Why hadn’t it ever occurred to me to freeze coffee for my iced coffee?  I’m a smart woman but I would have never thought of it.

dsc09983So that is my tip for the day.  Freeze left over coffee (I know, it is a rare thing around here too) in an ice cube tray and use those cubes for enjoying non-watered down iced coffee this summer.  Oh and you can totally do it with your iced tea too.  If all of you are rolling your eyes at me because you thought of this years ago, just pat me on the head and pretend you hadn’t thought of it either.

And warn your husband because he might be really concerned about these weird things in the freezer.

posted under food
13 Comments to

“A stupidly smart idea”

  1. On June 3rd, 2009 at 8:00 am melany Says:

    Ummm… I think my favorite part of this post is that you’re drinking out of a winnie the pooh mug.

    And I hadn’t thought of this either. So far, hasn’t been too hot for me not to drink my regular coffee…but I know that day will come. And I do usually have a little left over from my pot, so I will give this a try! My husband is concerned about me in many ways – so the funny things in the freezer probably won’t phase him.

  2. On June 3rd, 2009 at 8:44 am typelittlea Says:

    After seeing The Wedding Planner (shut up!) I started freezing mint leaves and raspberries in iced tea.

  3. On June 3rd, 2009 at 10:12 am Krist aka BAMAGIRL Says:

    WELL DUH!!! WHY HADN’T I THOUGHT OF THAT…….YEARS AGO!!! DANG THAT’S A GOOD IDEA!!! Thanks Michelle!!! 🙂

  4. On June 3rd, 2009 at 10:16 am Jane Anne Says:

    Anything with coffee catches my eye!! I am looking through the WFMW ideas for ideas for my kids. This reminds me that my kids would love fun ice cubes. Why not do the same thing for Kool-aid ice cubes?! Great idea!

    My WFMW post: WFMW: Summer Soap

  5. On June 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 am nora Says:

    Nice – this will be put to use in 5 days when I am DONE for the summer. Its been unseasonably cool here all spring, so I will look forward to iced coffee, which means more warm weather.

    Tessa in the Von Trappe outfit – too cute!

  6. On June 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 am amy Says:

    This is an amazing idea! Can you post how you make the iced coffee too?

    Oh and “we moved to the surface of the sun (Nashville)” made me LMAO!!

  7. On June 3rd, 2009 at 11:45 am Samantha Says:

    brilliant! pat pat. how orignal! pat pat.
    in portland, the land of rain (and coffee) they actually do this at the coffee shop.
    but alas, i know nashville is faaaaaaaaaar from portland.
    (btw i hope we don’t have to wait for the engagement party to get you guys out here for a fun filled weekend of fabulous coffee and scrabble. am i even allowed to invite my “imaginary” friends to visit?)

  8. On June 3rd, 2009 at 12:20 pm Burgh Baby Says:

    The best part of that whole thing is that you drink your coffee out of a Winnie the Pooh mug. I heart that!

  9. On June 3rd, 2009 at 2:43 pm Alleen Says:

    well, hmmmmmph… You’d think a Floridian woulda figured that one out!

  10. On June 3rd, 2009 at 6:14 pm Megan Says:

    Now that IS a great idea and I am totally going to freeze my leftovers tomorrow. Hubby and I like to have iced coffees in the afternoon on the weekends… gotta stay ahead of the kiddies somehow! Ohhh and I would also like to read how you make yours too! Thanks for the tip!! 🙂

  11. On June 3rd, 2009 at 10:01 pm Malia Says:

    Leftover coffee? Blasphemy!

    Anyhoo…I always make way more spaghetti & pizza sauce that what will be consumed in one or two meals. I used to always just put it in a freezer ziploc bag, lay it flat in the freezer and then defrost for additional meals. This was annoying. Then my brilliant husband suggested putting the sauce in ice cubes trays, freezing it then putting the frozen sauce cubes into the freezer ziploc bag. Much easier!

  12. On June 4th, 2009 at 12:24 pm martha Says:

    I love my iced coffee! when I realized Starbucks and duncan donuts had to leave my budget i bought an expresso maker from Walmart for 29 dollards. I make a double batch of expresso, and add sugar to it while warm. Then I chill in the frig (sometimes i willl make 3 or 4 batches at one time so I dont have to go through the whole process one at a ttime.

    Anyway in the morning I get a large glass and fill it with ice; halfway fill it with coffee, the other half with skim milk. Like a skinny latte. So good! and so convenient! To fancy it up a bit you can add chocolate syrup and for a sinfully fatening version I sometime use my daughters 1 or 2% milk.

  13. On June 8th, 2009 at 12:13 pm Pocklock Says:

    Girlfriend, you? ARE A GENIUS!

Email will not be published

Website example

Your Comment: