brewing coffee with a french press

I have been coveting a french press for quite some time now.

A friend of M gave a pack of ground coffee recently. My coffee maker has seen better days. The part where the filter sits has accumulated a lot of gunk. No amount of dishwashing detergent, bleach, calamansi juice can get it out. I keep forgetting to buy filter paper (there was even a time I used table napkins as filter). And besides, I’m the only coffee drinker at home, having a one- cup coffee maker is more practical. A thousand and one reasons for me to buy a french press.

French press or coffee press is a cylindrical urn fitted with filter plate on a plunger. You put the grounds in the bottom of the urn, add hot water, let the coffee sit a few minutes, and then press the plunger down, separating the coffee from the grounds. (source: www.ehow.com)

Purists say that coffee from a french press has more flavor and aroma. Maybe because with the french press , the hot water is in direct contact with the coffee grounds and the filter has bigger holes compared to a paper filter from the traditional drip brew, letting more flavors and essential oils to pass through. But I really don’t care. I love the taste and smell of freshly brewed coffee, period. And having a personal size french press is more practical than using my regular coffee brewer.

So the hunt for the perfect french press had begun. A year ago I saw them being sold at Starbucks. When I checked out two SB branches in Shangrila Mall, they don’t carry it anymore. Today, I went to Trinoma, went straight to Starbucks and just like the Starbucks in Shangrila, they don't have the french press anymore. Next, Landmark… yielded nothing either. Over at Gourdo’s I saw one… their last stock. I bought it without hesitation. Now, I can enjoy freshly brewed coffee every morning.

:)