How To Make Unforgettable Iced Coffee

I often wondered why I enjoyed drinking iced coffee at Japanese restaurants more so than any home brew I made or at American cafes. After watching a video on making iced coffee, I think I know why.

It's all in the temperature. .
"Huh," you say while scratching your head.

Apparently in order to lock in the aromatics and sweetness found in Japanese iced coffee, it must be flash-brewed first rather than made hot, allowed to cool then pour flat over ice cubes. Still confused?

Check out this video on how to make iced coffee Japanese style.

Setting A Table For The Single Diner

I discovered an interesting and complementary blog to A Single Table while I was researching on the Internet. It's called A Table for One, and it's definitely worth checking out. The bloggers offer colorful and fun suggestions for table arrangements, which they call tablescaping, for the diner who wants to set a table even if they are dining solo.

 

Their most recent arrangement, A Very Orange Tablescape, was inspired by recent record temperatures in California. Try some of their suggestions, and you'll never feel like you are dining alone.

Well done ladies! Well done.

Simple Pleasures: Starbucks Offers 50 Percent Off Drinks

I hadn't enjoyed a caramel frappuccino in more than a year. I'd avoided the delicious drink because of its cost and calorie count. Well, there is nothing I can do about the calories. But Starbucks addresses the price tag issue with its Happy Hour campaign that offers 50% off drinks from 3-5 p.m. daily.

So instead of paying $4-plus for a grande frap, I pay a little more than $2. That's a reasonable toll for a little slice of heaven during the day. Today is the last day of the campaign, which started around May 1. So I'll be sure to get my other favorite frap flavor, strawberries and cream, before 5 p.m.

How about you?

Simple Pleasures: A Cup of Coffee

Some days this is all that is needed. Today is one of the those days. Don't forget to enjoy the simple pleasures: Setting aside alone time for yourself.
This cup of Joe and the solace drinking it brought me was what I needed apparently.
What do you do when things get a bit hairy or hectic?

Cup of Coffee in Solitude

How To Make Strawberry Margarita Jello Shots

Happy Cinco de Mayo! For followers who want to party today.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Bring Grins and Great Memories

It's Chicago weather like we've had of late -- cloudy, gray skies and intermittent rain -- that makes me yearn for simple comfort food. On that list is probably one of the first items I learned to cook successfully as a youngster: Grilled Cheese sandwiches.

Just saying, "Grilled Cheese sandwich" makes me smile and recall fond childhood memories. There is nothing complex or over complicated about this sandwich, probably explaining why it always feels like the right meal at the right moment.

Oh, but don't be fooled by its simplicity. Your imagination can run wild (as mine is now) with the various ingredients you can use to make a sandwich. Kraft Foods offers several variations worth trying.

I think I'll first try Kraft's Grilled Cheese Margherita, a delicious spin using basil --one of my favorite herbs-- as an ingredient.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With Cupcakes

Americans will celebrate Mexican heritage and pride primarily by drinking and eating on Cinco de Mayo. Though alcohol will flow freely and tacos, enchiladas, nachos, etc. will be plentiful here, Mexico designates Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May) a minor holiday.

Because Cinco de Mayo falls on a Monday this year, some will mark the occasion on Saturday, May 3. Chicago, home of one of the largest Mexican populations in the country, will celebrate with a weekend of activities in the Little Village neighborhood.

Regardless of when you celebrate it, I encourage you to try this Cinco de Mayo-inspired treat: Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes. Yum!