French Pressed Coffee

For a while now, I've been interested in switching from drip-filtered coffee to a French press. I'd only had French pressed coffee a few times in my life, and I'd always been impressed with the taste. Whether real or imagined, I tend to detect that paper flavor in filtered coffee. Plus, from a food snob perspective, French pressed coffee has the advantage of being a more natural, hand-crafted experience. So when my birthday rolled around, I asked for -- and received -- my very own French press.

Preparation is simple, and not as time-consuming as I'd expected. (I don't grind my own beans; prep and cleanup times would be longer if I did... but the taste would be fresher and crisper.) I ordered medium grind coffee; the grind can't be too fine, lest it slip through the mesh.

The measurements are 1 Tablespoon of ground coffee per 4 ounces of water. Simply scoop the ground beans directly into the carafe and add the hot (not boiling) water. Let it sit for about two minutes, stir, then sit another two minutes. (You can let it sit longer for stronger coffee, but be careful not to overdo it.) Then attach the lid and press down slowly to strain.

That's it! Pour through the strainer, and you're ready to go. Start enjoying a purer, cleaner, richer coffee drinking experience.