I Made French Press Coffee For the First Time. This Is How It Went.

Agent Dale Cooper would approve.

Last week I was gifted with a French press coffee maker. I’ve seen French presses for sale in stores and coffee shops, but this was a particularly elegant looking one from Cafe de Chateau, and I’m not ashamed to admit I was a little intimidated by it at first.

See, I’ve never made French press coffee before. I’ve drip-brewed, percolated, poured over, K-cupped, used coffee “tea bags,” and have even made “cowboy coffee” in a metal saucepan — both on a campfire and the stovetop in my first apartment.

French press seemed above my station.

That’s a silly attitude, of course. But I think the problem with this French press was that it looked so elegant. I didn’t want to disappoint it by misusing it.

So I did what any sane person living in the 21st century would do.

I went online.

There, I read a couple of web pages and viewed a couple of videos, and in 20 minutes, I was a French press expert.

I had yet to actually make any, though.

The Process

It was pretty damn easy.

1. For a 24 oz desired result, add 6 tablespoons of coarse-ground coffee to the bottom of the carafe. I had a nice Kona on hand for this.
2. Boil some water, let it sit in the kettle for a minute
3. Pour over the grounds.
4. Stir once with something wooden (I used a spare chopstick)
5. Let steep for four to five minutes.
6. Push the plunger all the way down in a firm, steady movement.
7. Pour into a cup. Add milk to taste.
8. Enjoy.

The Results

My reward? A full-bodied, robust cup of coffee.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good it turned out, considering it was my first time making it. There was no bitterness or acid taste. It felt robust without tasting too thick. It took milk well. (I don’t use cream or sweeteners.)

I was reminded of the infamous words of Agent Dale Cooper from the classic television series Twin Peaks:

“You know, this is — excuse me — a damn fine cup of coffee.”

24 ounces yielded a little over two large mugs. The second mug was less hot than the first, but that was fine. I didn’t see any grounds in my cup, although I suspect if I tried pouring the few remains into a third cup, I might have found some.

Cleanup was easy. I poured the remainder down the drain. Took out the plunger, used a paper towel to scoop most of the grounds into the trash, then rinsed the remaining grounds out and down the drain. The mesh cleared easily, and the cleaning process took no more than a minute.

I thought it would more complicated. It wasn’t.

A Health Note

French press, alas, will have to be a sometimes-treat.

While researching French press coffee, I learned that most coffee-making methods that did not use a paper filter — including French press — were actually pretty bad for you. Coffee that doesn’t pass through a paper filter ends up raising your triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol — two things my doctor wants me to keep under control.

Surprisingly, according to a long-term study published by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, paper-filtered coffee can extend your life. In contrast, coffee brewing methods such as the French press can shorten it.

So… French press coffee — as delicious as it is — will likely be something O brew once a week as a special treat. That’s disappointing, but I have my warm beverage options covered between my paper-filtered options and my tea collection.

Recommended?

Absolutely, but with the health caveat mentioned above.

French press coffee is easy to make and a remarkably satisfying drink if you’re a coffee lover. I recommend everyone try it if they haven’t already. I’d only caution its overuse — especially as one gets older.

But it makes a nice indulgence once in a while.

You surely deserve it.

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