Even the best cooks have been known to claim
they can't brew a good cup of coffee, but
with a few simple guidelines, it's easy to
make great tasting coffee.
And making homemade coffee is a real savings
compared to buying it in a coffee shop.
Regardless of the brewing method you choose,
all we start with freshly ground coffee beans.
Coffee beans are roasted to various degrees
of darkness.
Choose darker beans for a stronger flavor,
lighter beans for mild tasting coffee, and
create your own blend for something in between.
Coffee grinders are inexpensive and well worthy
investment.
Since coffee beans lose their freshness quickly,
it's best to grind them fresh each time you
make coffee.
The most popular methods for brewing coffee
are the automatic drip, the manual drip, and
the French press.
Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for your
coffee maker for either a fine or coarse grind.
For an automatic-drip coffee maker, measure
the ground coffee into the filter, pour the
water into the reservoir.
Each 6-ounce cup of coffee, use three quarters
of a cup of fresh cold water and one to two
tablespoons of ground coffee depending on
how strong you like your brew.
And press the button to start the brewing
process.
To use a manual drip coffee maker, measure
the coffee into the filter, bring fresh water
to a full boil in a kettle, turn off the heat
and allow it to rest for a moment, and then
slowly pour the water over the coffee.
Water just under boiling at 195 to 205 degrees
releases coffee's compounds at their flavorful
best.
Be careful not to overfill the filter basket.
Give it a stir to make sure all the grounds
are submerged.
You may need to wait for some of the coffee
to drip into the carafe before continuing
to pour the hot water.
To make coffee using a French press coffee
maker, measure the coffee into the carafe.
Pour the tempered hot water into the carafe.
Place the lid on the carafe and allow the
liquid to brew for four minutes.
Press the plunger to the bottom of the carafe
to trap the grounds.
Whether you like your coffee black or with
milk, cream, or sugar, it all starts with
the right brew.
