Cold Brewed Coffee and Okinawa Black Sugar

A while back I won some Rockin' Coffee on Gina's Blog Simply Life. Now I'm talking way back in November, and I am so bad I never mentioned it until now. I did send her a thank you email for it and told her I loved it. I was able to choose what coffee that I would like. I picked the Ethiopia, medium-dark roast. The coffee is organic and Artisan micro roasted in New England. This is a perfect gift for me because I love coffee so much and I really enjoy trying new kinds. I like to get whole bean so I can and grind it myself. I usually drink just one cup a day, (but it's a really large cup), if I have to warm it up too much I end up not finishing it. I make it it my espresso coffee maker so it forces it through the grounds. I sometimes use a French Press if I want to feel special. Another one we have tried is the Vietnamese coffee...which my daughter has started drinking, and Cuban coffee...which is what started me using cream in my coffee. But My husband doesn't like the same coffee as I do, he likes it weaker, or I should say a lighter roast. Coffee gives him heartburn...

So I make his coffee in the Tody cold brew coffee maker. It has a special filter, just add the grounds (a little coarse grind not too fine) add 8 cups cold water, we use our filtered water, and let it set for 12 hour before draining it into the caraft that comes with it. It is supposed to keep the acid in the beans, if you let it go much longer than 12 hours the acid will start to release into the coffee.

It will make this coffee concentrate that will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. It works for him, he doesn't get heartburn from it and because you add it to water then heat it up you can make it as strong as you like. It is a nice thing to have in the fridge too. If you want to make a frappuccino or an iced coffee drink, or a coffee dessert that calls for some espresso or brewed coffee. Just take it out and use it. I hear this is a popular way to make coffee in New Orleans. Sometimes they'll freeze it into cubes and then make it in a pan on the stove top, adding sugar and milk. Have you ever had coffee like this?

The next thing I have for you is some Okinawa Black Sugar. I picked some up yesterday so I haven't had a chance to use it yet. After some research I found out a little information. It is popular in Taiwan, Japan, and China and is used in ginger tea...that sound great to me I love ginger tea.

Here is what it said about it on Amazon: Product Description Made in Taiwan with sugar with Raw "black" sugar from Okinawa, which is famous for its raw pure sugar crane. Its high mineral content makes it so dark brown that it is known in Asia as Okinawan Black Sugar. Black sugar is non-centrifugal in that it is made by boiling all the elements of sugar cane. Black sugar has a strong sweetness and characteristic harshness. Many studies have been done on black sugar, it is believed that black sugar decreases the level of cholesterol and the neutral fat in blood and increases our resistance to stress. Most of all black sugar is very rich in potassium and works to lower blood pressure.
I didn't pay that much for mine, I just paid $3.00. I guess I like to try different sugars as well as coffees. I have tried the Mexican pure cane sugar, and palm sugar. Are any of you familiar with black sugar? How have you used it? Please feel free to share what types of sugar you used and what kinds do you like best!! Thanks, and now I am off to the beach!