Everyday I start my morning with a fresh cup of coffee.

I started drinking coffee when I was 26 on a work/vacation trip to Australia.  I had my first Expresso in the QVB building in Sydney, where I was having a decadent dessert with my sister, and had to chase it with the bitterness of the magical drink.  Ever since I've been hooked.

I had a coffee maker for years, only the first cup was worth making the whole pot.... and you know that when you order coffee out it can come in any form from brown water to burnt tar.   It was a forever toss-up what kind of coffee you'd get.

Then while cleaning out my brothers camper, I found this strange little device.  It looked more like something you'd find in a science class than in the kitchen.  It was a coffee press. 

The coffee press makes the absolute perfect cup of coffee.  It also is called a coffee plunger, French press, and can be used for tea as well.

I started with the smallest size that makes one perfect cup of coffee.   But now I have a cupboard with 3 sizes for when I have coffee with friends, and a couple of back ups, because the glass beakers break. 

How to:

1. Requires a kettle or pan to boil water.  I have an electric kettle.

2. Ground coffee, I keep Folgers and Hazelnut coffees, that I buy from a restaurant supply store,
       and my niece works for the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, so I also keep beans and  have a fancy grinder.
       She gets 2 bags a month for working there, which she shares with me, I know lucky me. But just any of
       your favorite ground coffee will do.

3. One coffee press, as seen in my photo

            
             These are a 10 cup, 6 cup and 3 cup variety.
   FYI: 
      A. The 3 cup makes a single mug of perfect coffee. Just for you.
      B.  The 6 cup makes 2 mugs of perfect coffee for you and a friend, with a small warm up each.
      C. The 10 cup makes 3 mugs of perfect coffee for when you having a "3 cup required" day.

4. The scoop. Each press you buy comes with a coffee scoop. 
         My coffee preference is 1 1/2 scoops for the small press
                                              3 to 4 for the medium press [6 cup]
                                              4 to 5 for the large press. 

Boil your water, put the desired amount fresh coffee grounds in the bottom of the press, when your water is boiling hot, poor over the coffee grounds, fill up to about 3/4 inch down from the top, and then put the plunger/lid on, with out pressing down the plunger.  Press the plunger part up and down a few times, and then poor the most perfect cup of coffee into your favorite mug, add milk or cream or sugar to taste.

The beauty of this type of coffee is that it is as fresh as fresh brewed can be.  You make a fresh cup every time. No sitting in the pot till you're ready to drink it.  Once you've experienced this coffee, you'll not want any other.  My sister who had the fancy espresso maker for years has converted. And I have converted everyone that I serve coffee to. 

You can change the strength to your favorite mix.  It takes only a few minutes to boil water, poor and plunge.  You get the 'coffee house' brew at home at your leisure. I've recently tried adding extracts, of mint or almond to my plain roast coffee, just a few drops and its been a delight, and calorie free.

I try keep several extra coffee presses in the cupboard for gifts, converting my friends or back ups.

Where to buy.  All the coffee houses carry them, but they're pricey. I buy them at discount stores like Big Lots, and Ross.  But the purple one in the photo, I found here at eBay.  Its by Tupperware, the beaker has a clear thermal enclosure that keeps the GLASS beaker safe, and also keeps the coffee hot longer.  I paid about $30 for the big one, about $12 for the medium size and about $8 for the small one.  

Note, the glass beakers are on the fragile side, and thus be careful if you're stirring the coffee with a metal spoon inside the beaker, or putting in the dishwasher.

In my opinion, this is the ONLY way to brew coffee at home. 
    NOTE:  Most coffee shops like Starbucks and others keep a coffee press, so you can request the same while out.
The most perfect cup of coffee and a great way to start your day.  

I adore coffee. A simple pleasure one can do for oneself.  Ahhhh.

Drink up, Max Rainet.

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