Do you like coffee? I am mad for it.
In my daydreams, I sip on a mug-full of the rich, creamy elixir. Sadly, the good old days when I could drink the stuff are over. I haven’t been able to stomach it for awhile now, even if it’s watered down.
That’s sad, right? I think many people with IBS / IBD have had a similar experience.
Recently, I’ve noticed that coffee is a popular topic. There’s an article about special coffee here, a post about it there. I’ve heard that the type of roast is important, or the way it is dried may make a difference in its palatability. But I have a hard time believing that I can’t drink coffee anymore because of some mycotoxin that is introduced during the drying process. So instead of wasting money on a pound of the artisanal expensive stuff (which will probably give me an aching belly, too) I thought I’d try something else first; a cold-brew technique.
Paleo in PDX has mentioned cold-brew coffee every now and then, in fact, in this post, she wrote about making a coffee ice cream out of it. She also wrote that the cold-brew technique yields coffee that is about 70% less acidic than normal coffee. Paleo in PDX talked about how good it is.
I decided to try it. I deeply missed a yummy cup of coffee.
Whether it is lukewarm or piping hot doesn’t make a difference, I wanted to enjoy a simple pleasure again.
I searched around a little and found an incredible How-To post which explains the steps to the cold-brewing process. It was written by an editor named Dan Souza at America’s Test Kitchen. You know, they are the folks who write Cook’s Illustrated magazine. Oh how I used to love that magazine. Anyway, I digress. Dan has described and illustrated the process so well, that I’m going to link to it here.
I followed his instructions and brewed a batch of coffee concentrate. After I strained it and added a bit of water (not too much, I like it strong) , I sampled it next to the normal hot-brewed stuff that my husband drinks. The verdict: the cold-brew version produced a superior cup of coffee. It is delicious. It is smoother and more complex, less bitter, noticeably less acidic and all-around tastier. I don’t drink it everyday, or even a few times a week, but for the first time since I’ve began my diet modification journey, I can drink a small cup of joe without stomach pains.
And I don’t miss the cream and sugar that I used to dump into my coffee cup! It is that good.
Thanks to Paleo in PDX and Dan Souza at America’s Test Kitchen, I can enjoy one of my favorite beverages again – every now and then!
It may seem like a small thing, but it has made me extremely happy.
Thanks!
Theresa ~SCD Griddle
SCD Griddle 