Perfect Coffee

On the ubiquitous side project, I’ve got an older image of a retail display of a French (coffee) Press. In part, that image fits with the variations of coffee theme, and at a point, I used the expression, “Coffee Porn.”

In an earlier iteration, the term was about looking for the perfect cup of coffee.

That perfect coffee can arrive in many guises.

The “French Press” is arguably the best way to prepare coffee. Not terribly efficient, as it is a labor intensive way to brew caffeinated favorites, but for reliable, perfect coffee, over time? It’s worth the effort.

Simple. Start with fresh roasted beans. Available locally. Grind the beans just prior to dumping the grounds into the French Press. Add boiling water.

Like the placard says, let stand for a few moments and press. It’s nearly perfect coffee every time.

I use an elderly coffee press these days, it used to have a Starbucks logo and branding, but repeated hand-washing has removed the label. It wasn’t cheap, but as a Starbucks product, less expensive than some.

The mesh strainer is stained, and yet, it keeps pouring near perfect coffee each day. Reliable. Bit of a bother to grind and boil, steep and simmer, then squeeze the coffee out each morning, but for a better flavor? Worth it.

Flip that idea around, though, and even motel coffee out of the little Mr. Coffee -in-a-room- coffee maker with nothing but hotel-serving Folgers? Also excellent. However, that was good by comparison.

Cafe Richard in Paris (France), Nero’s in London (UK), Jo’s used to be excellent in Austin, as was the old Ruta Maya, now called Halcyon. In San Antonio, a new place has made a big splash with me, strictly a flavor thing, ‘Local Coffee.’

So far, the quick test of coffee and education about coffee, the new (to me) place works well.