Midday Break: Summer Coffee Drinks and Downloads

Had a late night? Need an afternoon pick-me-up? You need caffeine, through an IV if possible. But it's hot. It's damn hot. You NEED coffee -- on ice. Here are 6 summer coffee concoctions Upload an energy boost with one of these summer coffee drinks, while you download it's companion summer song.

Drink: Banana Chocolate Espresso Shake
Download: Cruel Summer - Bananarama

Banana, Chocolate, and Espresso are your Snap, Crackle, and Pop for the afternoon.

In a blender, combine:

1/2 banana
1 cup cold chocolate soy milk OR 1 scoop chocolate ice cream + some milk
1 or 2 espresso shots, room temp or cold
(add sugar later, if req'd)
ice

Tip: Add protein powder and it becomes breakfast!!

Drink: Bailey's Espresso Chill
Download: Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

50 ml Baileys Irish Cream
2 shots of espresso
50 ml cold milk
crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Serve in a tall slim glass. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Tip: You can use skim milk b/c irish cream is very rich in itself

Drink: Iced Mocha with Mint
Download: Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts

3/4 cup coffee
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp mint extract
1 cup crushed ice
mint for garnish

Tip: Sub Andes mints for the chocolate and mint extract

Drink: Calcutta Streetside Iced Chai
Download: Streetcorner Symphony - Rob Thomas

So you really can't find anything iced in Calcutta, but ignore that factor. Coffee is going to be tea's understudy in this recipe, but the chai spice still merries well with the coffee.

1 cup coffee (strong)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon chai masala
1/4 tsp extra cinnamon (cinnamon is alread an ingredient in chai masala)
1 cup crushed ice

Enjoy on the rocks or blended.

Tip: Chai spice can be found at any Indian Grocery store or any International Foods aisle or Spice aisle at the regular grocery store.

Drink: Iced Berry Jam Java
Download: Summer Jam - The Underdog Project

1 cup coffee
1 Tbsp Raspberry jam
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Half and Half
mint for garnish
1 cup ice

Tip: Freeze leftover coffee in an ice tray to keep your iced coffee from getting watered down.

Drink: Spiced Citrus Iced Coffee
Download: Summertime - Sublime

1 strip lime peel
1 strip orange peel
12 cloves
4 Tbsp Coffee
4 tsp simple syrup
4 Tbsp Half and Half

Put coffee and citrus peels and cloves in coffee filter. Brew with 4 cups water. Cool in refrigerator for 12 hrs.

To serve, add simple syrup and half and half and pour.