Cold Press

I first heard about cold pressed coffee from one of my favorite joints: Dunn Brothers on 4th Ave N., in Downtown Nashville. They explained how they brew a large amount of coffee in their refrigerators cold, which reduces the bitterness in the coffee. Suffice to say, I tried it and it was indeed very good. I prefer cold coffee drinks, especially in the summer now that it is very hot.

I then spent some time searching the web on how to make it myself. There's not a lot on it, and it's easy but time consuming. I have found that it reduces the bitterness greatly, and allows for a much smoother flavor. It is much easier to drink black, if necessary, and the coffee flavors shine through much better.

Ingredients
2.5 cups coffee grounds
5 cups water

measure the coffee into a container, stir water in. Make sure it is well mixed, then refrigerate for 12 hours. Filter out using a sieve or coffee filter. This leaves a double strength concentration. I've left this in the fridge for more than a week, with no ill effect. You can then mix the water with cream and water to taste. Usually, I mix 1/2 cup of coffee 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of milk. If you want a strong mixture, mix coffee and milk to a half and half mixture.

Don't mix the milk in with the concentrate when you press the coffee, as the milk is liable to go bad. stir it in just as you would when ready to drink. Sit back on a hot summery day, sip, and relax.

Billy Goat Cafe: Dead

I know it's been a couple of months, but I consider it worth my while to note the closing of one of the better coffee spots east of Nashville: Billy Goat Coffee.

Providence Marketplace is a pretty neat shopping center. A Best Buy, a Books a Million, an excellent Hot Dog place called "Cori's Dog House,"

Billy Goat is the only place I was aware of that offered White Coffee, where the bean is roasted only the yellow level. I never got the chance to try it, but it was a specialty.

It was a small place, but it had all the trappings of a proper coffee shop: wifi, a wide selection of espresso, brewed drinks, and teas, nice baked goods, and elitist snobs behind the counter.

I call them snobs, but in their own way, they were pretty friendly. One time, I came in with a lunch I purchased, and they didn't mind my eating there, as I purchased a drink.

This was a nice place, and there's still Taylormade Cafe up Mount Juliet Road, but Mt. Juliet has lost a small treasure.