coffee. It uses very coarsely ground coffee that basically steeps in the brewing
water for several minutes allowing all the flavours to fully extract from the
coffee grinds. Because of the filtering system there is always some sediment
which some people don't like.
A French press coffee maker has two parts: a straight-sided container usually
made of glass, and a filter-plunger that pushes through the water to filter out
the coffee after it has steeped. This plunger also serves as the lid. There are
some models of French Press that are insulated which is good for keeping things
hot while it steeps.
To brew coffee with a French Press, you should pre-heat the carafe while you
boil your water. When ready, empty the carafe, add your coffee, and then add
your brewing water. You may wish to stir the coffee grinds around to be sure all
of them are in contact with water. You should now put the plunger/lid on the pot
to help retain heat. DO NOT press it down yet, it needs to steep for about four
minutes (a little more or less depending the coarseness of the grind).
Once you feel the coffee has brewed enough, slowly depress the plunger trapping
the grounds on the bottom. Do not force the plunger. If it doesn't want to go
down, simply lift the plunger up slightly and try again. The filter can jam on
grinds that are too fine. Just take your time and it will work.
Despite what some may say, it is usually best to decant the coffee into an
insulated serving pot. If you leave the coffee in the French Press it will
remain in contact with the grinds and keep brewing. This will quickly ruin your
coffee. The other main reason to pour your coffee off is to keep it warm. French
Press pots are not well insulated and coffee cools off very quickly.
Play with the brewing time and grind coarseness until you get the taste that you
like best. Once you've done that you will have some of the tastiest coffee
anywhere.