French press
French press coffee: rich, subtle, aromatic and easy to prepare
A French press is simplicity itself; a cylinder fitted with a plunger that is pressed down on a mixture of hot water and ground coffee to separate the coffee from the grounds.
The secret to preparing good French press coffee — one with a minimal amount of suspended particulates — is to start with a consistent and uniform grind of coffee.
Use medium grind. You can change to a coarser grind if you find the coffee too cloudy.
Too fine a grind can clog the filter and create high pressure in the pot making it difficult to press.
A uniformly medium grind will ensure that the grounds are completely removed from the brew by the plunger, yielding a deeply satisfying coffee that is rich, robust and aromatic.
1. Place the pot on a dry, flat, non-slip surface. Hold the handle firmly, then pull the plunger unit straight up and out of the pot.
2. Place one heaping tablespoon (7-8 grams) of coffee into the pot for every 200ml of water.
3. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the pot.
4. Immediately press the coffee using a slow, downward motion. Lowering the plunger slowly with minimal pressure produces the best results; it also prevents scalding liquid from shooting out from the spout of the pot.
5. Wash the pot in mild detergent and water and dry thoroughly after each use.