Once you’ve regained conciousness after that last one (I’m still a little floaty myself), I’d just like to take a second to let you know that making really damn good drip coffee is easy. I have a $40-dollar coffee maker from Presto that does a proper job, and even my age-old crap Braun blade grinder doesn’t hinder things too much.

In San Francisco, CA, USA, we are blessed with many, many superlative coffee roasters. Topping the marquee this week is Capricorn Coffees, which I like because they share my zodiac sign, and, well, they make good ish, as they also say in the trade.

I love a good coffeeshop as much as the next guy, and I doubt I’ll ever make as good a cup of espresso as Caffe Trieste (my favorite North Beach haunt), but for drip, jesus, take care of yourself.

For a good cheap easy home setup, I suggest a tabletop drip unit like this or this, or a capable coffee machine like the one mentioned above. There are other methods for making drip, but hell, who has time to talk about that? Someday I’ll go into the cool little device one makes vietnamese coffee with, but today isn’t that day.

If you’re using a device which you need to pour boiling water into, a decent kettle will help you keep from scalding the piss out of yourself, true (says the person who’s tried to do this with a saucepan one too many times).

The only thing is, your water has to be HOT. One-nine-eight-far-en-heit-de-grees, say the experts. A little kitchen thermometer will come in handy for making sure your water is right on. 198 degrees, baybee!

Grind your beans until they are just larger than powder- there should be some graininess but not chunks like a french press grind. Pour the coffee into your filter cone, and shake it a little settle the coffee (don’t overdo it!). Some old italian gents in shadowy alleyways tell me that making a little indentation in the center of the coffee will help optimize the water’s flow and help the flavor, especially with a machine. Makes sense to me..

Not only can you save a bit of money this way and support local businesses if there’s a good roaster around, you get to try lots of different varieties that don’t have insipid names or taste like street runoff. Use quality cream or soy, some turbinado sugar, and warm that mug before you pour the coffee into it, or so says the best local drip coffee roasters, Blue Bottle Coffee.

(I only make the drip distinction because Caffe Trieste’s espresso blend with forever reign supreme for me, for sentimental reasons more than anything)

Bonus liquor update- we restocked the coffers last night (a rather sloppy party ensued), and made some good inexpensive finds.

Pyrat Rum - Several shades nicer than workaday Bacardi. Sweet, deep flavor, clean finish, nice bottle. Cheap as chips.

Prism Vodka - Also sweeter than your average vod, mixes beautifully, bottle is easy to hold when tipsy. Not bad for $8, eh!

We also supplanted our bog-hipster-standard Maker’s Mark for some Knob Creek bourbon this time, and while I like it, nothing will replace MM for us, it seems. The flavor is a little smokier and more complex, which isn’t what I want in a mixin’ bourbon. Nice for sipping, though.

I even bought some grappa, much to my friends’ chagrin, and my delight!

Oh yeah, to make this 2nd welcome back post even more value-packed, here is the recipe for the best mojito I’ve ever, ever had.

Mojitos From Heaven:
Add the juice of one good-sized lime to a tablespoon of brown crystal (turbinado) sugar. Add 1.5 shots white rum and stir until the sugar melts.

Tear up a few leaves of fresh mint and toss them into the glass. Crush a bit of ginger into the mix with a garlic press as outlined in the recipe above. Muddle all together with the handle of a wooden spoon, or a dedicated muddler, if you’re posh. Mash that stuff good!

Add 4 ice cubes, a good pour of mineral water (yes!), stir until all is well chilled, and serve. Bliss, absolute bliss.

Damn it, it’s FAR too early for a cocktail, and now I’m thirsty. Oh well.

Maybe your day be as sunny as your outlook,
Cheers,
-gc @ f//f

Filed under: Technique, Recipes, Cocktail Hour

One Response to “Coffee is Easy + Liquor Report”

1. doneastwest Says:
   January 21st, 2006 at 11:47 pm

   - Melitta cones and paper filters are ok but think of how little time the water is in contact with the grind as it passes through into the cup.
   - i still use the plastic cone but only _after_ the coffee is steeped. i combine two filters and push them down into the coffee mug, add the grind, and pour the water in there to get a longer exposure.
   - the cone is handy after that: use larger filters so they are easy to pull out of the mug, place the cone on the mug and let the last of the coffee drain from the filters.

Leave a Reply