Americans call it the French press or coffee plunger while the French know it as the cafetiere a piston. French press, plunger pot or press pot, no matter what it’s called this simple coffee brewer makes an excellent cup of coffee in a short period of time. The simplistic design of the French press is deceiving when the final product is tasted. The quality of the coffee is surprisingly exquisite.
The French press was most likely designed in France, hence its name. However, the fist patent for the simple cylindrical coffee brewing device was originally patented by an Italian designer in 1929. The French press has gone through many design variations over the years and has come back into popularity in the recent years of the coffee explosion.
The design of the French press is based on the age old method of steeping coarsely ground coffee in hot water then removing the resulting beverage without having coffee grounds in the cup. This idea most likely originated from days of boiling the whole coffee bean in water until a coffee liquid was formed.
The French press is shaped like a tall mug or beaker and is made of plastic or glass that has a secure lid and a plunger mechanism. The plunger contains a type of filter made of mesh or fine wire to keep the coffee grounds from pouring through when the coffee is finished steeping.
Coffee drinkers who own a French press or plunger pot know that they must have a much coarser grind of coffee than they would use in their automatic drip coffee makers. Some people have both an automatic coffee maker and a French press for when they only want one or two cups of coffee.
The advantage of the French press is the absence of a coffee filter that prevents much of the essential oils from reaching the coffee. In a French press the coffee grounds are in direct contact with the water for the entire steeping or brewing process time.
The coffee should be freshly ground then placed in the pot shortly thereafter to prevent the coffee from losing flavor. It takes about two tablespoons of coarse ground coffee for every 4 ounces of water. French press pots come in various sizes so the amount of coffee should be adjusted accordingly.
Boiled water should be poured into the pot insuring that the coffee grounds are completely covered. The coffee will start to release what some refer to as a bloom, the carbon dioxide released by the coffee. Stir the coffee grounds quickly to mix them with the water before adding the filter plunger to the pot.
Allow the pot to steep two or three minutes before beginning the plunge. Hold the pot firmly with one hand while pressing down the plunger with the other hand. It is important to keep the plunger straight in the pot to prevent coffee grounds from escaping into the freshly brewed coffee.
Leave the plunger in the pot and keep it pressed down while pouring the coffee into the cups for serving. A slow steady pour with the lid on the pot is necessary to prevent the coffee from having sediment in the cup.
The French press makes an excellent cup of coffee and an attractive after dinner presentation for guests. Many high end French restaurants offer this as their after dinner coffee simply due to the presentation. Presentation or ease of use, the French press is an ideal way to make one or two cups of fresh coffee.
-Sharon Chapman, contributor
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