French Press Coffee

Ah, zee French press, homage to simplicity and bearer of a strong, mightily flavorful cup of coffee... on both sides of the Atlantic!

Also known as a plunger pot, coffee press, or cafetière, the French press draws its history from, yes, France, but isn't quite as dated as many suppose it to be. Though the invention made its debut in the 1800s, it actually wasn't until the early 1900s that the French press came into more popular use.

The reason? Lack of a serviceable filter to keep the slurry of grounds at bay. Enter Melior, the company that finessed the design (which was later purchased by the good folks at Bodum) and offered the now-classic French press model to the general coffee drinking public in the 1950s.

OK, let's wrap up the history lesson and get on to what you're really wondering about... Why is French press coffee so *good*?

So you say you've got a well-used drip coffeemaker, and that you've invested a good chunk of change in a high quality espresso machine, so why would you want yet another extraction device? Well, me too, yet I use all three methods as my mood dictates. For me, the French press comes down to one word -- aesthetics.

"Huh?" you say.

"The nature of beauty, art, and taste," I say.

Let me 'splain.

Using a French press to make your ritual cup puts you at the helm of a very finely crafted design engaging simple mechanics to produce an exquisitely flavorful cup of coffee.

You grind your beans, (coarsely, of course) empty them into the press, pour very hot (not boiling) water over the grounds, stir, steep to your desired strength, plunge, pour, and enjoy. It's very straightforward, yet there's room for a little magic.

Let me offer, if you will, a few additional, interactive steps to increase your pleasure.

1. First off, your carafe and plunger are things of beauty! Step back, have a look, and appreciate their streamlined design. Gorgeous!

2. As you pour the hot water over the grounds, loll your head over and inhale the perfume -- ahhhh. Be cognizant of the essential oils of the coffee volatilizing into a fragrant cloud for you to enjoy. No disposable paper filter to soak up the oils, no gold filter separating the grounds from the water, no gleaming chrome of the espresso machine blocking your interaction with the process. Just coffee and water, artfully co-mingling.

3. Taste! Experiment with brew strength. Plunge very slightly at different intervals, if you're so inclined, sip, and taste what's happening. You're in control. From two minutes up to seven or eight, you'll find the steep time that suits you perfectly.

4. When it's time to plunge, push ssssslowly. Hmm, now wasn't that satisfying, even relaxing? No beeping. No whirring. No jostling, electric-powered extraction. Just a single, human-powered, fluid movement. Captivating, and perhaps....almost Zen-like.

There you have it -- the French press. A very fine, very harmonious way to start your day. I invite you to give it a try and see what I mean. You may just revel in the sense-engaging exercise of it from time to time, or, who knows, it may become *THE* way you brew your coffee. Either way, it's my hope that you'll enjoy the experience and, of course, the end result.