One Big Disadvantage of Making Coffee in Stainless Steel

For years I've been making my morning coffee in either a stovetop stainless steel percolator or in a French Press. Until a few months ago, the French Press was glass, but now, after so many broke I have a stainless steel one.

Honestly, I'm very happy with the quality coffee they make. I use Israeli Elite Turkish in the French Press and either American ground coffee or buy ground coffee here in Israel for the French Press.

There's only one real disadvantage to making coffee in stainless steel. I haven't a clue as to when I've poured/served almost all. I use a great variety of coffee mugs, different sizes. So it's hard to keep track, have an accurate idea when only a spoonful is left, when I should pour just a bit more into the mug. At first I'd continue putting in my half spoon of sugar and sometimes get just a few sips of coffee to drink with it. OK, that super sweet coffee wasn't on purpose, so do the extra calories count?

Now when I think I'm towards the end I first pour the coffee and then add sugar to suit the quantity.

Problems of the "rich."

#morningcoffeehaiku in New Kitchen

hard to choose a mug
at least the coffee's ready
cold press in the fridge
#morningcoffeehaiku

such perfect coffee
grateful for my new kitchen
Rosh Hashanah soon
#morningcoffeehaiku

strong sun defeats clouds
cold strong coffee wakes me up
Gd willing great day
#morningcoffeehaiku

love my new kitchen
enjoying the great upgrade
planning was fun, too
#morningcoffeehaiku

coffee wakes me up
sun still hidden by grey clouds
perked last night and chilled
#morningcoffeehaiku

early coffee, sigh
didn't sleep enough again
too much on my mind
#morningcoffeehaiku

another grey morn'
looks brighter with new cellphone
coffee cheers up day
#morningcoffeehaiku

morning sans smartphone
it died suddenly last night
still coffee sunshine
#morningcoffeehaiku

awfully early
didn't sleep enough last night
coffee to rescue
#morningcoffeehaiku

I am NOT BUYING More

The other day I went into the FOX Home in Hadar Mall, Talpiyot to see if there was anything worth buying at the big 50% off summer sale. Of course, I really don't need anything other than a new kitchen, which they don't do.

I found myself, as usual, by the coffee and tea accessory shelves.

I'm happy to say that I didn't buy anything, but maybe I'll return...

PS They still have some of those gevaldik 1.5 liter French Presses for sale. Tempting, but the glass carafe never lasts long with me, sigh. So, as you may remember, I bought myself a stainless steel French Press.

Eeks! I Keep Forgetting to Prepare Cold Brew/Press Coffee

Not today, sigh...

After a great start of season, I now find myself consistently forgetting to prepare my summer cold brew/press coffee in advance. It must be made the evening before and then refrigerated.

It's just awful to wake up on a hot summer morning and realize that there's no cool/cold coffee waiting for me in the fridge.

So, I decided to take an idea that has worked for me for other things. I set up a daily "event" on my phone. It will ring with a message about 9pm every night until late September, and there will be a reminder to prepare the coffee. Gd willing that will work.

Summer's Back, So Is Cold Brew Coffee

You can see the "frost" on my stainsless
steel French Press

Yesterday morning I had my first cold brew coffee of the season:

hot summer weather
finally cold brew coffee
a pleasure to drink
#morningcoffeehaiku

I discovered it a couple of years ago, and now I make it in the summer. It's easiest done in a French Press.

The only difficult part is remembering to prepare it the night before.

A good stir after adding cold water to the ground coffee and another stir after taking it from the fridge a few hours later are the most "complicated" parts of the process.

Then you use your French plunger, just like hot coffee, but the flavor is better, at least IMHO. Even in the winter I don't like my coffee very hot. I really do enjoy this great way of drinking cold coffee, and there aren't any ice cubes to dilute/weaken the flavor.

Sparkling New French Press!

Reflecting on my new French Press, because unlike the others, which were mostly glass and one small plastic one, this new one is stainless steel, yes, UNBREAKABLE. 

Over the years, ole Murphy's Law seems to have a special category for French Presses, which generally have a glass carafe. The more you like that French Press, the better the plunger/filter and more suitable its size, the more quickly the carafe will shatter.

After my 1.5 liter French Press, with the fantastically made plunger/filter shattered, my fault entirely, I pulled out the too small "6 cup" with the awful bent plunger/filter that always allowed coffee grounds to invade my mugs and spoil my mornings. I had no choice. Around once a week, I'd perk Israeli Elite Turkish coffee in my classic stove-top stainless steel peculator.

Rumor got to me that it's possible to buy an unbreakable stainless steel French Press. I asked in some Israeli stores, but nobody sold them. So I went "modern" and checked on the internet. I found a few on Amazon, but I don't buy online.

Now that I had a solution, I patiently awaited my savior. My good friend who has been supplying me with American coffee has an Amazon account. She finally came for a visit.  We put in the order, and I paid her to cover costs. At first we were going to have it delivered to one of my Jerusalem kids, but that would double the price. Instead it was delivered to her home, and last week I was able to pick it up in Jerusalem.

This morning I had my first coffee from my new AMORA stainless steel French Press! What a pleasure to use. And the coffee was great. It'll be such a relief not to worry about breaking, thank Gd.