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DigsMagazine.com.
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the
art of
using
a french
press
by Corey S.
McFadden | 1
2 3
4
continued from page 3
|
How much coffee to
use:
Most sources recommend about one
tablespoon of coffee per 8 oz. cup of water. However, some others
(including Martha Stewart) recommend two. I personally go for a little
more than one tablespoon.
Keep in mind that most auto-drip coffee pots measure cups in 4 oz.
increments, (coffee professionals call this a "Tasse") so a
real 8 oz. cup is actually two "coffee pot" cups. Plus, there
is a "standard measure" of coffee that many books and guides
seem to use for coffee beans and grounds. This is 10 grams. Luckily,
(especially since I don't have a scale in the kitchen) this works out to
be about a tablespoon.
Cleanup:
The most important thing
to remember when cleaning the press (or any coffee equipment for
that matter) is that you want to remove all the coffee oils from
the last brewing. To do this, you must use soap and water.
Rinsing with water alone simply isn't sufficient.
o o o o o
Since I’ve been using my French press, I couldn’t be
happier. (The "8-cup wonder" has departed my kitchen
and is now — if there is any justice — brewing garbage in
landfill somewhere.) It’s a fact that my coffee just tastes
better now. Besides, believe it or not, brewing with a French
press gives me a feeling of accomplishment that an automatic
machine never could hope to inspire — sure, the process is
simple, but every time I perform the "one minute
stir," or press down on the plunger, I feel like an artist
contemplating a masterpiece…
Anyhow, if you own a French press, have some fun with it! If
you don't, try one out sometime. Good coffee can be very
rewarding.
o |
... |
Where
to buy a French press:
You can buy a French press just about anywhere these days.
From K-Mart and Target to your favorite specialty coffee store,
everyone is selling them. They're available in several sizes,
ranging from tiny three-cup models to larger ones that rival big
drip machines. They're a little more expensive than you might
expect, but still pretty manageable -- an 8-cup size seems to
run about $30. (Those are the 4 oz. cups, by the way.)
pictured above:
a Bonjour French press
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Corey
S. McFadden is
actively involved in the management of rightshop.net, a small software
company. He also spends several hours a day contemplating how to make
his 875 sq. foot apartment look "cozy" using only patio
furniture and stacks of newspaper. Corey can be reached via e-mail at corey@corania.org
or on the web at www.corania.org.
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lounge .
nourish .
host
. laze . home.
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