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  There’s no better way to welcome a new season than sitting down with your favorite drink. We're collecting all the Sip & Steep recipes into one Take Home Kit! Every kit has a booklet with all the instructions to make the drinks covered in the Sip & Steep series, as well as some delicious samples. Sip & Steep Take Home Kit: 1 vial of coffee 1 tea bag 2 Coffee sachets 1 Sip & Steep booklet 1 Sachet recipe  Kits will be available at the Gibson, Green Valley, and Paseo Verde locations starting Tuesday, March 23. Have fun and happy brewing!

First is the Pour Over method. Just like the French Press, the Pour Over has a lot of history. The Pour Over was created in 1908 and was known as one of the best ways to make a flavorful cup of coffee. It eventually fell out of popularity but has had a resurgence recently. You can now order a Pour Over at almost every coffee shop. Recipe for Pour Over Coffee: Ingredients 2 Tablespoons of ground coffee (20 grams) 1 ½ cups of freshly boiled water (330 grams) Pour Over cone Pour Over filters Here are some favorite containers: Ceramic – Classic and simple (ex. the Hario v60) Metal – Versatile and easy to clean  Glass – Well made and creates a clean cup of coffee (ex. Chemex) Instructions Insert the filter into the Pour Over cone Add ground coffee Pour enough water over the coffee to wet the grounds Let the coffee absorb the water for about 30 seconds (this is called “Blooming”) After 30 seconds, pour the rest of the water over the grounds in steady controlled circles. Making the target...

  When I think of feeling cozy, I can almost smell the warm cinnamon of a chai tea. For many of us the joy of reading comes with a cup of our favorite tea. No matter your taste of preferences, there is probably a tea just for you! If you have ever wondered what you might like or felt overwhelmed on the tea aisle of your local grocery store, look no further! Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. With an infinity of possible flavors and an especially easy recipe, tea is one of those drinks that appeals to nearly everyone. Whether you prefer sweet iced or a hot tea latte, you have hundreds of options to choose from! Health in a Cup Tea has many medicinal properties. From antioxidants to lowering the risk of long term disease, tea is a lower caffeine replacement for coffee and a flavorful way to start the day. Herbal teas can be soothing as well as aid in sleep and finding a sense of calm. Add honey or lemon to a tea for a cold weather remedy or try steeping tea ble...

  Cold Brew is a great way to make bold coffee without the use of brewer. All you need is time and a strainable container.  Cold Brew has been around for ages, but only over the past few years has it grown in popularity. The brewing process yields a few different benefits: less acidity, more caffeine, bolder flavor, and is simple to make! Recipe for Overnight Cold Brew: Ingredients   1 Cup Coarse Ground Coffee 3 Cups Filtered Water, Cool or Room Temp. Milk or Sweeteners (optional) Tools Sealable Container (We recommend Mason Jars!) Cheese Cloth, Stainless Steel Filter, or Coffee Filters Container or Pitcher (for strained coffee) Glasses (for serving) Instructions Pour coffee into a Mason Jar Add 3 cups of water, making sure to wet all the grounds Stir the grounds to immerse all the coffee Let sit for 12-24 hours Remove the grounds by straining the mixture over a coffee filter, fine strainer, or cheese cloth.  Serve over ice with milk and sugar as needed....

Nothing captures that feeling of wellness like a steamy cup of green tea. This ancient beverage offers many health benefits and couples well with various flavors like ginger, mint, and jasmine. Latte lovers are likely to crave the earthy flavors of Matcha, which pair nicely in ice cream, milk shakes, and even baked goods.  Matcha and green tea have less caffeine than coffee and black tea, but offer more antioxidants and a general sense of calm.  Habitual green tea drinkers may experience lower blood sugar, increased brain function, and improved blood flow. Green tea is a relaxing replacement for high jitter coffee beverages. Matcha vs. Green Tea Leaves Matcha means "powdered tea" and is actually finely ground green tea leaves.  Because the leaves are consumed, rather than steeped, Matcha has a more robust flavor and more caffeine than green tea leaves. Traditional Matcha is blended with a bamboo whisk to increase the foam and dissolve the powder evenly.  Green tea is...

    Coffee and Tea are essential for many librarians to feel energized and ready to take on the day. Here at Henderson Libraries we’ve decided to share our passion for our favorite beverages with  Sip  and Steep, a Virtual Program where we’ll provide tips and tricks to get the most out of your morning brew.  For coffee, our first tutorial is about the French Press.  The modern French Press was created in 1958. Distributed under the name “Chambord” by the French company Martin S.A. In 1991 they were bought by the company Bodum, who is still well known for making the French Press today.  Brewing coffee in the French Press has some notable differences. Many other brewing methods use paper filters, but the French Press has reusable steel filters. This makes a flavorful cup of coffee that retains the natural oils extracted from the coffee beans.  Though today we’ll be making hot coffee, the French Press can be used for tea, and cold brew coffee as well...

Sip & Steep - Butterfly Pea Flower Tea A good read, a comfy seat and a cup full of something delicio us. Nothing goes better with a library book than a good cup of tea. With all of us trying to stay home, what better time to learn a new recipe! Butterfly Pea Flower Tea is an instant icon for that unforgettable blue color and airy floral flavor. Drink it for the medicinal properties or add citrus for some simple magic.   This tea is not a true tea from the tea tree, but an herbal concoction made from the dried petals of the pea flower. When steeped they create a deep indigo drink that can lower anxiety, promote graceful aging and suppress appetite. But that’s not half as impressive as the chameleon effect of adding a citrus fruit or lemonade to your beverage.   The magic of the color change is actually a science experiment. Add something acidic to your tea and watch the color shift from deep blue to electric violet. This is made possible by the relatively neutral pH o...