Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Big Difference Between Perked and French Press Coffee


Reflecting on the differences...
The real differences, usually ignored, between French Press Coffee and coffee brewed/perked in a percolator have little to do with the flavor. It's the temperature of that very first cup.

For some people it won't make a difference, while for others it makes all the difference.

If you like super boiling hot coffee, then the French Press is not for you. The trick to making really good French Press coffee is patience. You must leave the coffee and boiling water to sit together and get to mix gently, at their own pace. The longer they sit, the stronger the coffee will be. Only when you've waited long enough can you put the plunger/filter in and separate the "mud" from your coffee.

That's fine for people like me who can't drink anything very hot. The hardest thing for me is to figure out what to do in the kitchen while waiting, since I'm one of those impatient people who hates to wait for anything. That's the perfect time to make sure my mug, sugar and milk are out and ready. And don't forget to give the coffee/water mixture a stir before plunging/filtering. As far as I'm concerned, it's worth the wait.

And for me, who prefers my coffee rather lukewarm, the second mug is the easiest to drink. In the winter I cover the waiting coffee to keep in the heat, because it can get too cold, even for me.

For those who drink multiple cups, two or more, from the same batch and like coffee really hot, what do you do? Microwave it? Reheat somehow?

How do you make your coffee each morning or whenever you drink it?

2 comments:

Sandra said...

I percolate because I like it very hot and strong. My husband is buying me a Nespresso machine, so I can have it even hotter and stronger! I tried the machine made one in a shop last week and it was sheer bliss!

Batya said...

I don't like those machines. Portions are too small and prices are high. I need three or four to be satisfied each morning.