Why I am not buying an air conditioner this summer

I got back to Montreal Thursday from six weeks in Seattle, and I stepped into the average
Montreal Summer: right now, my place is 31C (88F) and humid -- peak temperature for the summer, but it remains that way all night (that fantastic insulation which comes in oh so handy during the -20F winter nights).

My first thought: go get that air conditioner. I had two at my old place on Mont-Royal (bedroom, living room) that were old but sufficient; last summer, you'll recall I lived the troglodyte lifestyle in my sous-sol sub-let (un-AC'd) while I awaited the condo I already owned to empty out. I had become conditioned to live in 68F comfort, and I don't see why I should have to put up with this for the 6-8 weeks it lasts here.

For those of you who haven't yet visited me in Montreal, I bought a place last summer, and I'm loving it (even if I haven't painted it inside yet).



However, it has no air conditioning, at all. And, it's on the top floor, to where all the heat in the building traverses (again, great during winter time). It has everything I want -- except that A/C, it seems. So, I started researching, and I found my solution in the recipes section of the NYTimes.

Wha? Well, I'm putting off the purchase, because I came across a drink so cool and delicious, that I'm just stocking up on it, and that seems to be all I need. It's Iced Coffee.

Now, I know what you're thinking -- you've had it at Starbucks, it's okay, but you're not going to be replacing your A/C with it any time soon (and sure, I'll break down too and get the A/C later). But this Iced Coffee is special. It's unique. It's not like Starbucks. Because it's cold brewed.

The article's author described their first taste of it being due to a self-effacing coffee aficianado friend who kept politely declining their home-made iced coffee. The author eventually broke down and asked, "Why don't you ever drink my iced coffee?" and the pal staved-off, dithered, and finally admitted that he could no long stand to drink iced coffee unless it was cold-brewed.

You see, most places (and most homebodies) simply take the stuff they brew using their drip machines, put it over ice and hand it to you. Or, take their drip machine coffee, and put it in the fridge for later use. This makes for a bitter brew when it's encoldened, hardly the thirst-slaking smooth-drinking fistful for which summer heat begs. And it turns out, to make the sweet cold elixir of the angels, it is easier than making a pot full of drip.

Cold brewed coffee is familiar to anyone who's passed through New Orleans (I have not), where it is the summer standard. To make it: use 1/2 lb ground dark coffee and 2 quarts of room temperature water in a non-reactive container (glass pitcher, or a stock-pot). Mix, cover, and let sit for 12 hours on a countertop. Decant into another container, straining out the grind (I use a coffee filter). Voila, that's the base, ready to go; it will keep in your fridge for 2 weeks (I use mason jars). When you want Iced Coffee, pour into a glass with ice filled to the brim (but not packed). The dissolving ice lightens the load and cools the coffee. Add cream/sugar to taste. You will not drink a smoother, more delicious ice coffee anywhere.

Notes:

1) I use Maxwell House (and I usually wouldn't touch the stuff) and get great results, so no need for fancy coffee beans here.

2) "New Orleans" style iced coffee requires you make it almost double strength: 1 lb of ground coffee to 2.5 quarts of water, letting sit for 12 hours, decanting and straining into a storage container (again, non-reactive surfaces only!) Mix 1-1 with water, and/or cream.