I’ve been drinking coffee since I was 5-years-old, which is the equivalent to a little over 2 decades. I realize I just aged myself, but drinking coffee has been a huge part of my life thanks to my grandma. Growing-up my family and I lived with her and I recall waking-up as early as 7 am to sit with her at the dining room table to have some café and pan dulce.
When we moved out of my grandma’s house, I had to learn how to make my own coffee. Reasoning being was that my parents wouldn’t wake up as early as my grandma did. My internal clock had me up at 7am wanting coffee. So, one morning after trying to wake up my mom for what felt like the 100th time I asked her, “could you just teach me how to make coffee?”
Mind you I was still pretty young, most likely in elementary school. But I was girl on mission to get her caffeine fix in a timely manner. After being taught how to safely boil water, my coffee independence flourished. However, according to my mom I constantly made a mess, “there was sugar and coffee grounds everywhere,” she said. I don’t recall ever making a mess.
For years I would wake up every morning boil water and pouring it over instant Taster’s Choice coffee. It was the coffee I knew growing up and more importantly it was the one my grandma made for me. While I can appreciate the past time of drinking coffee with my grandma, I have come to learn that there is MUCH BETTER coffee that I can make from home. Of course, I’ve had coffee from other places throughout my life like Starbucks, Philz and Peet’s, but buying coffee all the time can get expensive.
So, now that I have stepped up my at home coffee making game, I highly recommend using a French press. I personally like my coffee extra hot so using an insulated French press has been the best. Some of the recommendations I’ve gathered for using a French press is to ensure your boiling water coats all the ground coffee you put into the container and then stirring it for a few seconds. Also, be sure to wait at least three minutes before pressing the actual French press down. Lastly, if you’re interested in trying new coffee I recommend Illy and Intelligentsia coffee, you won’t be disappointed.