Today’s Washington Post Food section had an article on cold process coffee, and specifically the Toddy coffee maker.
For some reason, I found this intruiging. Has anyone tried this technique? Do you use a special coffee maker? It seems to me that you wouldn’t really need a device that is “little more than a bucket with a hole in the bottom blocked by a filter and a cork”–couldn’t you just use a regular jar or pitcher and pour it through a filter?
More importantly–how does it taste?
We have owned the toddy coffee maker for about 20 years. Don’t use it much for reasons less having to do with the maker and more having to do with our low coffee consumption. The kit is useful, but one could use a bucket like you say, though their filter is hefty.
We both always enjoy the flavor–it is very smooth and rich. The smoothest, least bitter coffee I have ever had. We would put most of it in a few ice cube trays for use throughout the weeks.
Most importantly, this is the method for making the absolute best coffee liqueur. There are recipies out there, but most involve adding a proportion of either everclear or high alcohol content vodka to the straight toddy. Wow. We did some blind taste testing with friends comparing our homegrown with Kaluha and it was no contest.
You came to the right place, friend. I use to use Toddy makers all
the time at work (a coffee place). Yes, you can use any container that will hold a pound of coffee and about a quart or so of water. Leave it on the counter then filter it. At home I use a pitcher to “brew” and then pour it thru my coffee makers filter section, slowly, to filter it. Here’s the Hi-up-low-down… Although it makes a rather concentrated, very smooth brew, IMHO it takes all the, for lack of better term, BITE, out of a cup of hot coffee. Taking most all of the acid out of it makes for a rather tame cup of coffee for me. If, however, you’re into to those cold “mocha-frappichino”
thingys, it’s Great! It’s concentrated, so you get more bang for your buck, and it’s very smooth. Need more answers? E-mail me if ya like.