Making Your Perfect Cup of Coffee—One Cup at a Time
The French press may well be the world’s best method of brewing coffee. Unfortunately, it isn’t always the best method if you want to brew just one cup. Sometimes if you’re by yourself, one cup is all you need. You certainly don’t want to make a pot full pot and have to keep warming it up. How, then, will you make that one perfect cup of coffee you long for?
This is where the individual drip coffee cone comes in handy. Melitta makes one just the right size for one 8-ounce mug of coffee. It fits perfectly on the rim of most coffee mugs and uses a #2 filter. If you’re only planning to drink one cup of coffee, this is definitely the best way to go. Here are a few tips to help you make that one cup of coffee exactly right for you.
First, be sure you keep your individual coffee cone very clean. The ribs inside the cone can be tricky to clean, but a child’s size toothbrush makes an excellent implement for cleaning them. It’s also a good idea to use baking soda if you need a cleaner. Detergent can leave behind fragrances and other chemicals that can taint the flavor of your coffee. Rinse the cone extremely well after scrubbing because wet baking soda is difficult to see.
Next you want the right coffee filters, the kind that fit your style of cone. The style of filter you need is shaped a bit like the roof of your house, only upside down. Choose natural brown filters when you can get them. The white ones are bleached with strong chemicals that you may not want ending up in your coffee. There’s no real proof that this kind of filter will hurt you, but there haven’t been any studies, either.
You’ll need to use the fine grind of the coffee. Fine grind makes the water go through the grounds more slowly. This gives your grounds more surface-to-water time and extracts more flavor. It’s best to use freshly ground coffee if you can. Whether you grind it yourself or not, make sure you use the amount of coffee recommended by the coffee producer. If you want it stronger or weaker, make adjustments with your next cup.
Place the cone with the filter on top of your coffee mug. Bring filtered water just to a boil, then remove from heat and allow it to sit one minute. Wet the grounds in the coffee filter just enough to get them all damp. This is called “blooming” the grounds, a step you don’t want to skip if you want the best flavor. Then slowly pour the rest of the water until you have poured in enough to make a cup.
Remove the cone and place it in the sink or a bowl to finish draining. Add whatever sweetener or lightener you enjoy to your coffee, though if it’s brewed well, you may not need it. Now you can relax and enjoy a great cup of coffee made just for you just the way you like it. If you decide later you want more, you can always brew another cup just like it.
brewed on Feb 6th, 2010
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