STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I have the French press from Starbucks, but I'm sure you can get them from Bed Bath and Beyond, Linens N Things, etc.

Basically, you put the coffee at the bottom, a bunch of boiling water on top, and let it sit for about 4 minutes, then put the top on the press and plunge the strainer.  I believe you're supposed to use two tablespoons of coffee for every cup of water.  If you buy a bag of whole beans at Starbucks, you can have them grind the beans for a French Press.  I think it's a coarser grind, but can't remember for sure.  If you have a grinder at home, the people at Starbucks should be able to tell you what type of setting to use on your grinder.

Also, if you have them grind the beans for you, be sure to squeeze the air out of the bag and store the coffee in the freezer, to keep your coffee fresher longer.  Your coffee should last about 1-2 weeks in the freezer once the bag has been unsealed.

Hope this helps--let me know if you have any other questions.  My husband is super knowledgable about coffee/grinders/makers, etc if you have any more questions. 

NCshopper wrote:

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This is a French press: Basically, you put the coffee in the bottom, pour boiling water on top, and then plunge the strainer down after about 4 minutes.  Basically it allows you to taste every aspect of the coffee--none of the flavor gets lost in the paper, you don't have to worry about chemicals from the paper filter getting in there, etc. etc.  It's just pure unadulterated coffee.  Coffee is a lot like wine in that you can taste all sorts of other notes of flavors, especially if you pair it with food that it complements.  The french press allows you to taste all of those little flavors and notes and hints of flavors that you probably wouldn't ordinarily taste with a regular coffee maker.  If you use cream and sugar in your coffee, it kind of obscures all of those more subtle coffee notes, so you probably won't taste the difference between the french press and a regular coffee maker.  HTH!

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