Curious Cook in the New York Times: Cold-brewed tea and coffee

In this month's Curious Cook column, I write about making iced tea and coffee by preparing them with cold water instead of hot. Aficionados differ on the relative merits of cold- and hot-brewed drinks. Cold brewing does extract a different balance of flavors compared to a standard hot brew. If you think of them as different drinks, then you can enjoy each for its particular qualities. I also describe recent studies of tea made with jamaica, the outer flower parts of a kind of hibiscus, and give recipes for jamaica and "mojito" teas from Maricel Presilla of Zafra and Cucharamama in Hoboken NJ.
__________________

Mayer, F. et al. Sensory study of the character impact compounds of a coffee beverage. European Food Research & Technology 2000, 211:272-76.

Ramirez-Rodrigues, M.M. et al. Physicochemical and phytochemical properties of cold and hot water extraction from Hibiscus sabdariffa. Journal of Food Science 2011, 76:C428.
doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02091.x

Ramirez-Rodrigues, M.M. et al.  Hot and cold water infusion aroma profiles of Hibiscus sabdariffa: fresh compared with dried.  Journal of Food Science 2011, 76:C212.
doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01989.x

Wright, J. et al. Effect of preparation conditions on release of selected volatiles in tea headspace. J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2007, 55:1445-53.
doi: 10.1021/jf062657v