How to use a French Press
It is always such a treat to have freshly brewed coffee when you are dining out. Every once and awhile I will come across a small cafe that serves coffee using the French press method. I always appreciate the difference in the way the coffee tastes and I love the personalized service. Delicious coffee is a must for me every morning, I only drink one cup, but it has to be just right. Most mornings we use a traditional fast brew coffee maker, but when I have a little bit of extra time I pull out our French press. Here’s my basic technique for making perfect French press coffee every time:
How to use a French Press
1. Start with a medium grind, it should be about the same size as breadcrumbs. If you don’t have a whole bean coffee grinder, illy ground coffee is a great substitution.
2. Use one heaping tablespoon to every 6 ounces of water. The coffee cup in these photos holds 12 ounces and I used two tablespoons. To me, the ratio of water to coffee is not a matter of preference. Coffee shouldn’t be made weak or strong (unless it is espresso), it is made correctly by using the proper measurements.
3. Have a timer handy or use your smartphone. Boil the brew water (I use filtered water) and as soon as it comes to a boil pour enough water into the carafe to cover the coffee and immediately place the plunger lid on to keep the heat in (do not press the plunger down). Set your timer for 1 minute.
4. After 1 minute remove the plunger, stir the coffee and add the remaining water.
5. Replace the plunger lid and set your timer for 5 minutes.
6. When 5 minutes is up, slowly press the plunger down.
7. Once the plunger has reached the bottom of the carafe – you are done!
A one page reminder of the basic steps to using the French Press method, but truly, once you do it a few times it becomes second nature.
If you found this post helpful, please consider taking a brief moment of your time to “like” our page on facebook. Just click here to go to facebook. Thank you for your consideration!
xo,
Sarah
