Stay Cool- Iced Coffee and Classic Iced Tea With A Twist

Coming home after our adventure trip to the jungle was relaxing and at the same time left me with mixed feelings.
Enjoying nature pure, no pollution, everything so green, smashing and far from civilisation was a once in a lifetime experience.
Now we are back to the vivid,noisy and exciting capital Lima.
On the other hand it can be quite relieving not to watch your every step if there is a snake crossing your way or a tarantula hanging from some tree over your head.
So far, we are back to normality.
Thinking about this weeks post I got inspired by my daughter who sent me a picture enjoying a gorgeous iced coffee in the historic center of Vienna.
This drink is absolutely addictive and you need not even the excuse of hot weather to enjoy it.
 
According to my mother, the secret of a delicious Viennese iced coffee, lies in the quality of coffee.


The same goes for this Ice tea with a twist.


If any drink was made to cool you down on hot summer days, it's definitely iced tea,
It's like a summer party in your mouth and the fresh ginger  adds a wonderful, slightly spicy flavor.  

 Freshly grated ginger

and fresh mint add a wonderful twist 


For the iced tea you need:
1.5l boiling water
4 bags tea
2-3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 /2 spoonful of freshly grated ginger
Mint sprigs
Instructions:
Make the tea with .51l water then dissolve the honey in the tea.
Add ginger and mint to the mixture and infuse for 10 minutes.
Strain and cool.
Pour into a jug.
Serve with lemon slices, mint and lots of ice.

For the iced coffee you need:
1 cup of espresso
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
2cubes ice
1 spoonful of amaretto (optional)
2 balls of vanilla ice cream
whipped cream and cocoa powder for decoration
 
Instructions:
Combine the sugar with espresso until dissolved.
Let cool down, then mix in the blender with ice cubes.
If you wish, add amaretto.
Put vanilla ice cream balls in a previously chilled glass,
pour the espresso mixture over the ice cream and garnish with
a little whipped cream. Sprinkled with cocoa powder and serve with a straw.,

Enjoy! See you next week!

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Pears go glamour: poached with spices and served with orange butter

Pears, often considered the humble cousins of apples, shine with their own talents and  have a lot more to offer than meets the eye.

Provided with a delicate aroma and natural sweetness, they are one of the most versatile fruits.

Today I would like to  present them with a touch of glamour.

Poached in spiced syrup and served with a delicate orange butter they show their real star quality at summer parties.

Ingredients:

6 pears

1 lemon

the zest of 1 orange

the zest of 1 lemon (I used lime, because lemon is hard to get in Peru)

water

600g sugar

3 cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

4 star anise

4 cloves

mint leaves for the decoration

Orange butter:

500ml of freshly pressed orange juice

3 spoonful of caster sugar

140g ice cold butter, cut in small cubes

3 spoonful of Cointreau

Method:

Peel the pears, leave the stem.

Peel the orange and lemon carefully with a zester (without the white part of the  peel because it gives a bitter flavor)

In a large pot, put water, sugar, the orange and lemon peels and the spices. Boil up, then lower temperature and let simmer.

Add the peeled pears.

Let simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until pears are soft.

Set aside and let the pears cool down in the syrup.

Orange butter:

In a small pot bring the orange juice and sugar to a boil, then let simmer until the liquid is reduced to about a third.

Set aside and one by one add the ice cold butter cubes, stirring constantly until dissolved 

and the mixture gets a creamy and shiny texture.

Add Cointreau and stir again.

Place the poached pear on the orange butter and decorate with a mint leave and orange zest.

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

See you next week!

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