Photo by Claudia Cava
It is no secret that coffee is a staple in college life. In an attempt to balance classes, activities, social events and all the other chaos of college, students often find themselves running on fumes… and a ton of caffeine. Plus, now more than ever, coffee is associated with social gatherings, status, tastes and ultimately “the aesthetic.” Coffee drinking is about so much more than just the beverage— college students love everything the bean juice scene embodies.
As a college student, I know how much I rely on coffee myself, but as a barista, I have the opportunity to be behind the bar and behind the scenes in the coffee world. It is an amazing perspective to see what goes into making all the café drinks that are so popular. From coffee secrets and hacks to personal favorites, I will be offering my expertise here in the café corner.
Hello from the café corner, currently relocated to my couch in the living room. The past week or so has been filled with chaos, fear and the unknown, as we are all experiencing the impacts of the COVID-19 virus. First, I would like to take a moment to pause and encourage each of you as we face this challenging time. My heart goes out to all who are suffering from the virus and those lives affected and lost. Additionally, I understand many of us are wrestling with disappointment, specifically with losing the end of our spring semester. From excited freshmen to graduating seniors and everyone in between, know that your feelings are valid — whatever you are feeling. It is okay to be hurting, and my hope is that this time at home can bring healing to everyone impacted.
I’ve been out of work at my coffee shop for around two weeks, and I cannot believe how much I miss the barista life! To make creative use of my time at home, as well as keep myself in the coffee-making mode that I love, I have been experimenting with making drinks from my kitchen. Today, I present to you the “At Home” Iced Coffee!
The ingredients are as follows: freshly brewed coffee, ice, sugar, and your choice of milk or cream. To begin, fill a glass with ice about halfway. For best quality, use crushed ice instead of regular cubes. In a separate mug, pour brewed coffee, leaving a generous amount of room at the top. Add your desired amount of sugar — I recommend two to three teaspoons — and stir.
When making this iced coffee, it is crucial to add the sugar to hot coffee in order for the sugar to dissolve as it is stirred. When added to already cold coffee, the sugar tends to just settle at the bottom of the drink and does not actually dissolve. However, sugar in liquid form, called simple syrup, can be added to either hot or cold drinks, as it mixes well with any liquid.
Once the sugar is dissolved into your coffee, add your choice of cream. Half-and-half is usually the standard, however, there are plenty of other options, such as whole and nonfat milk, or even non-dairy options like almond and oat milk. Using a spoon, scoop some ice into the coffee to begin cooling the drink. Put the spoon back in the glass to help absorb some of the heat of the coffee, then carefully pour the coffee into the glass. Stir again and you’re done — enjoy with a reusable straw or just sip from the glass!
I hope you can enjoy your time at home and your iced coffee!
From,
your barista.
Claudia Cava us a third year finance and economics major. CC887936@wcupa.edu