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February 28, 2008
Coffee Fix
Two important things you need to know about me. I need coffee the instant I wake up and I will only use a French press to make it. There is something deeply satisfying about the full flavor that is extracted from the beans in this somewhat sloppy way. While my husband and son snooze on, there is clumsy maneuvering in my kitchen that usually involves coarse grinds everywhere, as I struggle, half awake, to clean used grinds out of my press (I use Bonjour’s 8-cup Maximus French Press; $39.99; bonjourproducts.com) and fill it with coarse grind. It has a great filtering lid that keeps sediment out of my favorite mug.
Bonjour Maximus French Press with Brushed Stainless Steel lid |
My bean du jour has just changed. For the last two years I went along with my husband’s favebrew, a highly hyper-caffeinated nationally available brand, which wasn’t cutting it. The harsh joe left me shaking and the flavor was frankly, not great. Over the holidays though friends (thx Connie & David) gifted us with a bag of La Colombe coffee (lacolombe.com) and forever changed my a.m. habit. If the fact that chef David Bouley in New York uses it exclusively in his restaurants doesn’t register for you, how ’bout it’s so smooth you can easily drink three cups of and still be even tempered, awake and focused.
Nicolas Capes, a manager at La Colombe explained that the small farm fair-trade produced Arabica beans they roast are grown at a high altitude and don’t produce as much caffeine as other beans might. He aptly described the drinking experience as a gentler one, not the rush of caffeine I’ve experienced in the past. I picked up two bags of their Phocea blend ($13.95 for 1lb bag) last weekend, and am already so addicted to this kinder, gentler brew that I’m bringing some on my visit to my in-laws this weekend. And at the risk of appearing like a huge coffee-geek freak, I’m packing my French Press. Love Maralyn and Bob, and can’t wait to see them, but they drink hazelnut-flavored coffee made in a percolator whitened with soy milk. Just not my cup of…well…coffee.
Posted by Monica at 11:03 a.m.
i love la colombe. so much better than the burned beans at starbucks. they (starbucks) over-roast their coffee so you only taste it on the front of your palate. i've ridden the train over the bridge especially to get my fix of la colombe. even their drip coffee is great. i've yet to try their beans at home but i'll have to check it out.
Posted By: jeff
2008-03-07 3:28 PM
Maralyn took a sip of my coffee, and said "That's nice". Then made up her brew. The beauty of life: everyone's different.
Posted By: Monica
2008-03-05 2:03 PM
Hi Monica, I once had a house guest request de-caffeinated coffee for breakfast. Still cannot fathom how anyone can function without some good old joe in the morning. However, the jitters are not fun, and I am also suspect to trembling if I overdue it - will seek out La Colombe, sounds divine. Yes, for the richest cup of coffee, hard to beat a French Press and the BonJour Maximus also allows you to shut off the brewing with a flip of the knob so you don't over-brew the coffee left in the carafe. Did Maralyn and Bob warm up to your European coffee sensibilities?
Posted By: Julia Stambules
2008-03-04 3:18 PM
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