Press pots
Two of my favorite things in one link: The Atlantic Monthly and coffee. Jerry Baldwin, of Starbucks fame, has written a concise manifesto for those of us who use the French Press, or press pot.
I shelved my trusty 12-cup Mr. Coffee several months ago for a Bodum press pot. At first, I thought it was going to be a hassle in the morning (as opposed to the set-and-forget routine at night with the Mr. Coffee). All that work for coffee? But we have a kettle on the stove, and I can do other things while my coffee brews in the pot, so I wasn’t left with much of a reason not to try it.
The press pot brings out the true flavor of the coffee bean. How?
Because the metal screen is more porous than a paper filter, it allows the coffee oils and sediment, and the entire coffee flavor, to be present in the cup, and because the filter is metal rather than paper, it doesn’t impart any other flavors (if you keep it clean), as paper filters inevitably do.
My routine in the morning is to heat the water and pour into the pot gradually while stirring, then let it sit (with the top on) for three minutes. Baldwin suggests another method, which I plan to try soon:
I pick up the pot and swirl it to get the grounds thoroughly saturated with water, but one could also stir. When the gas has dissipated or three minutes has elapsed, I pour in the rest of the water, swirl or stir, then insert the metal filter apparatus, and plunge. The screen separates the grounds, and I pour into a preheated mug after a brewing time of about three and a half minutes.
You have two sets of instructions; one simple, one more involved. Buy a press pot and grind some whole-bean coffee, follow these instructions, and enjoy a cup. If you grind your own already, but use a Mr. Coffee (or Bunn, etc), try the same coffee (ground more coarsely for the press, mind you) in the press pot. See what your coffee is supposed to taste like.
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