Blue Bottle's New Orleans-Style Iced Coffee

Makes 4 to 5 cups coffee concentrate, enough for about 8 to 10 cups iced coffee

Blue Bottle's most popular iced coffee features chicory for a nutty nuance. The sweetened concentrate will last two days in the refrigerator. To keep the concentrate longer, add simple syrup to each glass as you make it.

* 1 pound coffee, coarsely ground
* 1 1/2 ounces dried chicory root (see Note)
* 2 1/2 quarts water
* 3 ounces simple syrup (see note)
* 4 to 5 cups milk

Instructions: Combine coffee, chicory and water in a large stockpot. Stir with a spoon to make sure all grounds are wet. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass jar or pitcher. Stir in simple syrup, cover and refrigerate.

To serve, fill a tall glass with ice. Add equal parts coffee concentrate and milk, or to taste.

Note: Dried chicory root can be found in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets or specialty grocers. To make simple syrup, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil and simmer until sugar dissolves. Let mixture cool before using. The leftover syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Classic Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee

Makes 4 to 5 cups coffee concentrate, enough for about 10 cups of iced coffee

You've heard the saying: the fresher the beans, the better the coffee. Same goes for the quality of what makes up nearly 99 percent of coffee - water. This concentrate will last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

* 1 pound coffee, coarsely ground
* 2 1/2 quarts water

Instructions: Place coffee and water in a pitcher or other non-reactive vessel. Stir to make sure all the grounds are wet. Let steep at room temperature for 12 hours. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a paper coffee filter or folded-over cheesecloth. Strain coffee by pouring through filter into a pitcher or other glass container. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

To serve: Unless you're a serious caffeine junkie, you'll want to dilute the concentrate with water or milk. I like a 1:1 ratio of coffee to water, which yields a pretty strong cup. Add more or less depending on your taste, and serve over ice.

Pumpkin spice syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinammon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Dissolve sugar in simmering water, add all spices and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain syrup to remove particulates and add vanilla.

Store the cooled syrup in a glass bottle or jar, away from direct sunlight, or in the fridge.

To make a latte, combine 2 shots of espresso with about 2 T spice syrup, then add steamed milk.

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Adapted from "The Perfect Scoop" by David Lebovitz (Ten Speed Press, 2007).

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups brewed espresso or very strong coffee

1/2 cup half-and-half

Big pinch of finely ground dark-roast coffee

INSTRUCTIONS:

Instructions: Whisk together the condensed milk, espresso, half-and-half and ground coffee. Cover and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer to a covered container and freeze until firm enough to scoop.

Per 1/2 cup serving: 205 calories, 5 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (4 g saturated), 27 mg cholesterol, 81 mg sodium, 0 fiber.