Tuesday's Tips & Tricks

Those who know me, know I love me my coffee. I fell in love with espresso while living in Rome, my first coffee love, but have since come to appreciate cold brewed coffee, and have developed an affection for my french press.

Ah, the french press: seemingly simple to use, but getting that perfect french press brew is an art my friends.

First you have to start with good beans (these are my favorite), ground coarsely or the grounds will sneak into your cup. Use one tablespoon of grounds for every four ounces of water you plan to use in your press (this can vary due to the size of your press or by how much coffee your intend to make). Once you've got the coffee ground situation under control, add boiling water to the press pot (add as much water as coffe you wish to consume or serve - duh). Now just step back and wait a moment, I know it's tempting to add the top and just plunge right in - but don't rush it. Wait one minute (yes, literally 60 seconds) and then stir, to break up the "bloom" of grounds sitting on top of your water. At four minutes you can finally secure your press lid and plunge the strainer down. Pour and serve immediately. Don't let the coffee just sit in your press, it will get real sludgy like real fast.

I also like to add just a splash or two of creamer or half and half to smooth things out - lately I've been really into using a coconut milk based version. Mmmm...

Enjoy!

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