Ina Garten Uses This $17 Cold Brew Kit to Make the Perfect Iced Coffee
InIna Garten's latest cookbook, the Barefoot Contessa teaches the world what it takes to make the best comfort-food dishes—she can really read the room, huh?
Among the essentials she recommends throughout the book (nice olive oil, European butter,a good skillet) is one surprisingly affordable and little-known gadget. On the very last page ofModern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,Ina gives the world her vanilla cold brew recipe and the kit she uses to make it:the CoffeeSock.
Upon introduction to this $17 kit, Ina says she was "totally hooked," noting that without the gizmo, making iced coffee or cold brew at home can "be seriously messy and cumbersome." And not to give too much of the recipe away (you'll have toget the book yourselfto get all the tasty details), but she even includes instructions for how to use it. Clearly, she's a fan.
So what's the deal with thisIna-approved coffee kit?
Basically, the CoffeeSock is an organic cotton cloth bag designed to hold coffee grounds as the grounds steep. It also comes with a Mason jar to use for the steeping process. According to the brand, thesereusable filterslast for more than a yearand "out-perform any comparable disposable and reusable" competitors. The cotton bag allows more coffee bean oil and less acid into the water. You won't get that harsh, bitter tinge on your teeth when you sip the final product. Instead, the CoffeeSock will produce a smooth result that usually is only found in coffee shops.
Along with Ina's, this kit seems to have Amazon shoppers' hearts, as well. It has a solid4.7-star rating, and many reviewers say it's their go-to coffee-making method.
"It is a game changer," wrote one iced coffee fan. "It feels very well made from the quality cotton and it is super easy to clean. My cold brew is never gritty… I am shocked at how much I actually love the CoffeeSock and I will be purchasing them as gifts for all my friends."
It seems that Ina's famous catchphrase holds true yet again. When it comes to cold brew kits, "store-bought is fine."
To buy:$17;amazon.com