ICE, ICE BABY House

ICE, ICE BABY

COOL DOWN WITH AN ICED BREW FROM HOUSE OF COFFEES

BY NORA HESTON TARTE / D SUZANNE LEDBETTER

Sami Oliver-Terra, owner of House of Coffees in Lodi, is a local coffee connoisseur. “I probably drink an unhealthy amount of it,” she laughs, talking about the coffee shop's most popular iced beverages. And while the iced versions of House of Coffees gourmet hot favorites are available year round, it’s this time of year that they start to see a pretty big uptick in cold brew and blended drink sales. So, what should you order when you’re craving something cool and caffeinated? Sami has some suggestions.

MOST POPULAR Cold Brew The standard cold brew tops the list when it comes to cold drink orders at HOC. “We go through an insane amount of it,” Sami says. The coffee is made in small batches, not from concentrate, and has a lot of caffeine while remaining very smooth. It’s convenient to grab one black, with cream and sugar, or with an added flavor of your choice—of which HOC has many. HOLD THE COFFEE Hibiscus Iced Tea The specialty iced teas at HOC are a good alternative when you don’t want to suck down a vat of caffeine. There are a lot of flavor combinations made with herbal teas, but the hibiscus-based ones come highly recommended. “Super refreshing,” Sami says. BEST BLENDED Blended Jenn Similar to a Frappuccino, the blended beverages at HOC are coffee and dessert combined. Mocha freezes are wildly popular—especially when you mix the white mocha and regular mocha together to create a black and white or zebra—but the Blended Jenn tops the list. “I’ve never seen anyone be mad at a Blended Jenn,” Sami says. The drink consists of a latte base (espresso and milk) using a sweetened espresso called Ice Cap and is combined with chocolate and cinnamon. It’s nothing crazy, but Sami says baristas have perfected the ratios after a long time of serving, and the result is strong and smooth. SEASONAL SENSATION Coconut Cold Brew These specialties get less play than the signatures above but don’t count them out. The vast array of flavors at HOC allows for a lot of creativity when it comes to blending beverages. “People who like coconut love a coconut-flavored cold brew,” says Sami. The drink uses the regular cold brew that is wildly popular plus coconut flavoring to turn out a sipper perfect for hot days. Other options: Toasted Marshmallow and Irish Cream.

COOL DOWN:

House of Coffees 239 N. Ham Ln., Lodi (209) 368-2611 @houseofcoffees