This overnight method for making coffee results in a highly concentrated but extremely smooth brew. You can buy all kinds of filters and gadgets to make cold brew, but all you really need is a jar, a lined sieve, and patience. We prefer to line the sieve with a thin cotton kitchen towel, but any thin, finely woven natural fabric will work (the cheesecloth sold at supermarkets is too gauzy to filter out coffee grounds).

Place in a 2-quart container:

Stir in:

Make sure all the coffee grounds are thoroughly wet. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 12 hours, but no more than 24. Strain the coffee through a sieve lined with a piece of clean, thin kitchen towel or other natural fabric. Transfer to a quart-sized jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To serve, dilute to taste with hot water, or dilute with cold water and serve on ice. For an 8-ounce cup of hot coffee, we use 2 ounces cold-brew concentrate and 6 ounces hot water. For an iced 12-ounce beverage, we use 2 ounces cold-brew concentrate, 4 ounces cold water, and ice cubes to fill the glass.