Today we discover another incredible method of brewing coffee.
We have already discovered how to extract coffee together with the MOKA.
and coffee with the AEROPRESS.
Today it’s the turn of the plunger coffee maker: the French Press!
The origins of the French coffee maker
The system for filtering coffee, known as French Press, originated in France in 1852, thanks to Meyer and Delforge, a goldsmith and a merchant, respectively.
Although its birth is closely linked to the transalpine territory and its traditions regarding coffee consumption, it was the Italians who modified it and proposed new versions.
The first was Attilio Calimani, who patented a more advanced version of the instrument in 1929. This version was in turn modified by Bruno Cassol, who added a wire mesh filter to the device, which was essential for retaining ground coffee at the bottom when pouring.
Finally Faliero Bonandini, in 1958, proposed a further revision, reaching the final version as we know it today. The same entrepreneur, began large-scale production in a French factory, which until then had been making clarinets.
Later, the use of the plunger coffee pot spread throughout much of Europe, with several factories employed in its production.
Broadly speaking, the French Press is a glass container with a metal piston that slides inside. The plunger attached to the lid has a circular filter that is used to retain coffee residue and collect only the brew.
How do you extract coffee with the French Press?
Making coffee with the French Press is really quick and easy.
In my opinion it is perhaps the easiest extraction method of all, even easier than mocha and espresso!
It serves only the cafeteria, some hot water, and ground coffee.
But let’s start with a quick theoretical part first.
The French Press extracts coffee by infusion. , exactly as we are more accustomed to extracting tea. We then let the mince steep in the hot liquid to obtain our drink.
- The Brew Ratio , i.e., the ratio of water to coffee, is 60 g of mince per 1 liter of liquid ;
- We recommend a temperature of about 95°C , although I recommend that you try extraction in the range of 92 to 96°C and experiment at what temperature the result is best for your coffee;
- We recommend a Medium Roast Coffee , so all the qualities of your quality coffee will be brought out to the fullest, as well as the aromas;
- A blend with a higher percentage of Arabica, or even better a single-origin, is recommended. This makes it possible to obtain an intense drink with a wide range of aromas;
- The grinding must be medium to coarse , i.e., between 800 and 1000 microns, i.e., between fine and coarse salt in size to the touch.
In this case we will use a dose of 15g of coffee per 250ml of water.
The steps for extraction are as follows:
- Heat the water to 95°C;
- Heat the equipment and filter by pouring some hot water into it;
- After that dry the whole thing;
- Pour the 15 g of mince inside the glass cylinder and give it a couple of taps with your hand to level it and thus obtain an even bed;
- Discharge all the water with constant turbulence, i.e., circular motion, in about 30 seconds;
- Mix the mixture with a spoon to remove lumps and put all the mince in contact with the hot water;
- Lay the filter on the surface of the liquid;
- Wait 4 minutes of infusion;
- Press the plunger to the bottom, being careful, however, not to insist on the grind, which could come out of the filter and affect our cup drink.
The coffee is ready!
How will the drink taste?
As a result in the cup, the drink obtained from the French Press , Is similar in many respects to that of the mocha pot. . It is indeed a fairly cloudy, full-bodied, and enveloping coffee.
The difference subsists in the taste : it is in fact a more delicate extraction, both because of the water temperature, which is lower than that of mocha, and because of the lack of pressure. As a result, in the cup it expresses reduced bitterness and a wider aromatic range.
Curiosity:
Having a French Press in the house is useful apart from coffee is useful for 2 other purposes:
- To prepare tea, similarly leaving the loose leaves to steep in hot water;
- To whip milk manually.
We all love cappuccino and its creaminess, and the French Press is the most convenient and fastest tool for making it at home, too!
In fact, it will be enough to insert the milk into the glass container and move the plunger up and down quickly to create, after only a few seconds, the much sought-after creaminess.
You can use either skim, part-skim or whole milk.
Not only that, you can use both hot milk and cold milk from the refrigerator.
If you still have any doubts write to me at [email protected].
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