Hot coffee in cool carafes

 
  
What could be cooler than serving coffee in the Cylinda-Line coffeepots shown above, designed by Paul Smith and based on Arne Jacobsen’s iconic design. These pots are available from Stelton for a limited time during 2010. There’s also the attractively off-kilter Quack coffee pot, also shown, designed by Maria Berntsen for Georg Jensen.

Whatever you use to serve coffee, remember that only a clean coffee pot can make good coffee. Clean your coffeemaker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or run a mixture of either vinegar or lemon juice and water through the pot and then flush it with three pots of fresh water. Lemon juice is pricier, but it does also freshen the air. Pour the water/lemon juice mixture in the sink and drop your dishwashing cloth in it to freshen it before draining – it acts as mild bleach, too.

I don’t have too much good to say about instant coffee, except that if you add a teaspoon of it to the recipe the next time you make chocolate chip cookies, you’ll get a wonderful mocha flavour.

With a drip coffee maker, avoid using it for pots less that 3/4 of capacity, because the water will tend to run through too quickly and give you a weak brew. Buy a coffee maker that’s about right for the amount you’ll be making on daily basis — if you’re an empty-nester or singleton don’t be tempted to get a 12-cup pot for the two times a year you’ll make coffee for a crowd.

For a fun summer coffee drink, try this recipe from PC Home:

What you need

• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) brewed, chilled coffee
• 1 cup (250 mL) vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) butterscotch topping
• 2 cups (500 mL) ice cube
• whipped cream (optional)

What you do

In a blender, puree coffee, ice, ice cream and butterscotch topping until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide among four glasses. Top with dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of additional butterscotch topping, if desired. And yes, you may add a squirt of coffee-flavoured liqueur if you’re of legal drinking age and the sun is over the yard arm.