Oumar SalifouIf your ancient drip machine just isn’t doing it for you, and you think those who swear by pour-over are snobs, then stay tuned. A French press will give you a rich, delicious cup that leaves that weak swill behind in a triumph of glorious coffee. Plus “French Press” sounds sophisticated and cool and will impress your friends because you are obviously much more suave than them.
Step 1: Boil some water. Any old kettle will do.
Step 2: After the water has boiled and has been taken off the heat, grind the beans (Yes, grind your own). Set the grinder to the coarsest setting, or pulse a few times, until just ground. Keep the ratio of a heaping tablespoon of coffee to every cup of water.
Step 3: Dump your fresh grind into the bottom of your clean press, then add your slightly cooled water (it should be a minute or so off the boil).
Step 4: Depending on the size of your press pot, you may have to brew anywhere from three to five minutes. The four-cup setup pictured here brews for four minutes. Set a timer!
Step 5: Halfway through your brew, give it a stir. The foam on top will change colour, and this will make it much easier to press later. If you feel the need to be a snob, you can call this “blooming” your brew.
Step 6: Once the time is up, press the plunger and pour out immediately. The longer it sits in the pot, the likelier it is to be bitter.
Step 7: Enjoy! Though do not, under any circumstances, drink the last sip. The sludge that winds up in the bottom of your cup tastes something like post-wildfire forest floor mixed with sand. Just don’t do it.
Though it might be a little more difficult than waiting in line at Tim’s, it tastes way better and you’ll never end up with no sugar in your double-double.
