Home » Food and Drinks »  Cocktails & Mocktails »  Brewing Over a Cuppa If you're a coffee lover, addict, or fanatic, you've hit the right button. Here are some hot and cool things you can do with those java beans. So get your mugs out

Tomorrow morning you're going to change the routine. Instead of giving him a cup of steaming hot filtered or decaf or instant coffee that you've been doing for the last 15 years, surprise him with an iced cappuccino, ice-cube coffee, Kahluah coffee, or even a Granizado de café. And if he's the coffee lover we think he is, he's going to show his appreciation in more than one way.

Ice cube coffee

Brew coffee and let it cool. Fill up ice trays with coffee and freeze. (This is a great idea when you make a pot of coffee and have a good amount left over).

Iced coffee

Fill cup with coffee ice cubes and pour over with freshly brewed coffee. Add milk and sugar to taste.

Iced cappuccino

Follow above instructions. Replace milk with steamed milk.

Dessert shake

Place ice-cube coffee in blender and add two to three scoops of chocolate ice cream. Blend ingredients. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Mexican coffee

Add a tablespoon of ground cinnamon to a full pot of coffee and brew. Or, add one or two cinnamon sticks to a cup of freshly brewed coffee and let steep for a couple of minutes. To sweeten, add brown sugar to taste.

Irish coffee

Add one shot of Irish whisky to a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or sprinkles..

Amaretto or Kahlua coffee

Follow above directions, replacing Irish whisky with Amaretto or Kahluah. Try adding cinnamon for spice.

Cafe glace

Pour espresso or strong coffee over large scoops of ice cream in a bowl. Serve immediately. An exquisite contrast between sweet and bitter, hot and cold.

Quick fix

Sprinkle ground espresso on vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a quick fix of something good. Increase amount according to how bad you need that fix.

Granizado de café

Only till it's mixed with lemon crush. Then it is called mazagran.

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups (27 fl oz/750 ml) strong coffee, made by brewing 8 cups water with 8 oz (250 g) ground coffee (half light, half dark roast) - make sure piping hot, 1 1/2 cups (10 oz/315 g) sugar, 1 small piece lemon zest (rind).

Method:

1. Dissolve the sugar in the coffee. Add a little lemon zest if desired, then cover and allow to cool.
2. When it has cooled completely, remove the lemon zest and transfer to an ice-cream maker to turn into crushed ice. Alternatively, put in the freezer and stir frequently with a fork when it starts to freeze (although the texture will not be the same). Repeat this operation 4 or 5 times.
3. Spoon into chilled glasses just before serving.

What is zest? Zest is the thin, brightly coloured, outermost layer of the peel of a citrus fruit. It is the part that contains most of the peel's aromatic essential oils.

To make citrus zest strips: Use a paring knife held almost parallel to the skin, cut off thin strips, being careful not to remove any bitter white pith. Or, use a vegetable peeler. To grate citrus zest: Draw the citrus fruit across the fine holes of a handheld grater, being careful not to remove any bitter white pith. To shred citrus zest: Draw a zester across the skin to remove zest in thin shreds. Or, use a fine-holed shredder.