Sparkling Cold Brew Arnold Palmers

Did you ever have a lemonade stand when you were growing up? I did. It was hilarious now that I think back on it and my neighbors were really nice to me. I carted out a dilapidated old card table from our garage and hauled it down to the bottom of our driveway. I made a little sign with my Mr. Sketch markers (remember those!) and I think I was charging a buck for it. Pretty expensive, ha! My mom must have helped me make lemonade, which I'm pretty sure was powdered Country Time (delish...) and as a special treat, I also put out an assortment of stale fortune cookies which were leftover samples from my mom's old gift basket business. I only sold a few cups but all my neighbors were so sweet and bought a cup from me and took a tiny sip with me watching and said "mmm...". I'm sure it was promptly dumped after I was out of eyesight. But I had fun! It was something that kept me occupied and out of my mom's hair for a couple hours during the Summer and I was lucky enough to live in a great neighborhood. I wholeheartedly believe you should ALWAYS support a kid at any lemonade stand you should pass! It will make them so happy.

Along with my google calendar which is how I organize my editorial content, I keep a master google doc of running recipe ideas of things I want to make for the coming season here on the blog. I was planning out my Summer content the other day and I realized I have a huge gap in coffee recipes on the blog! I've only shared a few recipes, which is a little embarrassing for me since coffee is MY LIFE. So I've remedied that immediately, starting with this delicious recipe! Lemonade and iced tea, better known as an Arnold Palmer or maybe a "half and half" is a classic pairing most of us already know and love. But have you ever tried iced coffee and lemonade?! Sounds weird, I know. But I promise it's delicious. I added my own spin on it by using cold brew because in my humble opinion, it's the only way to make iced coffee. This is such a refreshing coffee drink to sip on in the Summertime. And if you wanted to turn it into a cocktail, you could very easily add a shot of vodka, bourbon, or even gin! Yum. The best part is, you can make a big pitcher of lemonade and cold brew and keep them in your fridge for about a week, so whenever you feel the need for a little pick-me-up, all the components are ready and waiting for you in the fridge. I included a recipe for lemonade below but by no means do you have to make it yourself. These are some great lemonades out there made with good ingredients so if you want to use your favorite store-bought here instead, please do! Cheers and happy Summering!

serves 4

4 c (32 oz) cold brew (recipe below)
2 c (16 oz) lemonade (recipe below, or feel free to use your favorite store-bought!)
2 c sparkling water
lemon slices, to garnish

cold brew
1 gallon cold, filtered water
8 oz coarsely ground coffee (a Latin American or African blend with citrusy, fruity notes will be best here)

lemonade
1 1/2 c filtered water
1/4 c raw sugar (or honey or maple syrup!)
1/4 c lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 2 lemons)

make the cold brew
Head's up: you'll need to do this at least 12 hours before you intend to enjoy your arnold palmers. In a large pitcher (at least 3 liters), combine the coffee and water and give it a stir to ensure all the grounds are fully saturated. Now, just let the coffee hang out on the counter at room temperature for at least 8 hours but up to 12. I usually just make it the night before I want it and let it do its thing overnight. When done steeping, line a mesh strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth (or a nut milk bag if you have one, but keep in mind you'll have to wash out all the grounds afterwards!) and slowly pour the coffee through the strainer then transfer the coffee to a large pitcher or mason jar and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Discard the cheesecloth and grounds.

make the lemonade
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 a cup of the water and the raw sugar. Allow to cook just until the sugar dissolves then remove from heat. Combine the remaining cup of water, lemon juice, and simple syrup and stir to combine. Let cool completely before you make the arnold palmers.

make the arnold palmers
Fill each glass about halfway up with ice and combine 8 oz cold brew and 4 oz lemonade and stir to combine. Top each with about 2-4 oz sparkling water, depending on how effervescent you'd like it and garnish with a lemon slice and enjoy!