It is hard to argue with the premise that man's best friend during the Israeli summer – especially if that man roams around the sweaty street, or even in the air-conditioned mall – is what is called "Ice Coffee".
This is a drink the Italians named ages ago "Granita", and what we may find in any coffee-house or highly regarded kiosk/convenience store, a drink which makes the sounds of "sip me with a straw and it will make you feel cool and happy". In recent years Israel has become a world-power of cold coffee drinks. "Ice coffee" is the most sold cold coffee in Israel.
R.D. Mayer produces ready-made "Ice Coffee" powders for coffee chains, kiosks, convenience stores, institutions and restaurants using such machines. The packages come in various sizes according to the customer's demands.
The beverage, which in principle is coffee (preferably espresso) with milk and ice, crushed and mixed, has various versions, different diversions of taste, shade and texture, various and odd supplements, and naturally various names (from creative to absurd) and different prices. The common denominator – at least regarding the serving mode of 'to go' – is the dispensable transparent plastic glass, and the straw which "injects" the liquid into the body and the soul. In order to meet the demand, R.D. Mayer produces drinks tailored to the customer's needs: Ice Coffee for children, for people keeping a diet, and for those desiring to change all the known coffee ingredients: decaffeinated coffee, sugar free, milk free.
Home-made Ice Coffee
Whoever wishes to trace the origin of cold coffee may do so in the coffee homeland the "Prafe", if he/she happens to spend a vacation in Greek coffeehouses. The cold Greek coffee is strong, sweet, foamed with ice and with no milk. It is based on Espresso extract or black coffee and crushed ice mixed with sugar. It is very tasty and is worthy of adoption. Here is the recipe:
Put into a thick-walled blender which can crush ice without breaking:
1 glass of ice cubes
Sugar (according to taste)
Short R.D. Mayer Espresso
About 1/3 cup of mile + 1 teaspoon of sweet cream
Turn on the blender on high speed until the ice cubes crush and a thick liquid with ice crystals is generated. If it is too thick add a little more milk and if it is too thin add more ice.
Thai Ice Coffee
One of the most pleasant ways of drinking coffee
Fill a glass with crushed ice. Flood it with a generous layer of concentrated and sweetened milk and on top of everything a shot of strong Mayer espresso coffee. The black and the white gradually mix in one another forming a beautiful marble pattern.
Ingredients for 6 high glasses:
• 4 glasses of water
• 1/3 glass of grounded black coffee
• 6 glasses of crushed ice cubes
• 1 can of concentrated sweetened milk
• 18 whole roasted coffee beans, for decoration
Way of preparation:
1. Boil water in an intermediate size pot without lid, on a high flame, add the coffee and stir.
2. Lower the flame to minimum, brew for 3 minutes and take off the fire.
3. Filter through a coffee filter paper or pour carefully into a coffeepot leaving the coffee sediment in the pot. Cool in the refrigerator until serving (the coffee keeps for several days).
4. Before serving fill glasses with crushed ice. Carefully place above 3 table spoons of concentrated milk in each glass, and pour over it the cold coffee. Decorate with the coffee beans.
A Thai touch
The coffee in Thailand has a special and rich aroma, because sesame and roasted corn seeds are grounded into it. In order to recapture the original taste roast 2 table spoon of sesame in an oil-free frying pan, till it becomes golden. Grind in a food processor and add to the coffee while it is being cooked.