Im-Pressed

Yesterday I set out to start cataloging all of the electronics in the house in preparation for the move.  My goal is to have everything so well documented, so that if the movers break anything, I'll have an exact description to give them for compensation.  In this house, you break it, you buy it... again.  So yesterday was picture taking day -  full of unhooking, unplugging, dusting off and making everything look as nice as possible for its photo-op. I also was armed with a stack of sticky notes so I could mark anything that wasn't compatible voltage-wise.  After moving from A/V equipment onto haircare tools I realized "hey, most of our stuff I can actually use in our new country!  Yippee!"  A sense of calm fell over me as I thanked manufacturers for making electronics that can easily switch from one voltage to another.

My tune quickly changed as I entered the kitchen and started going through my kitchen appliances.

By the end of my rounds, my kitchen looked like it was a victim of a sticky-note explosion.  Every single kitchen appliance we own is incompatible -- our amazing Kitchen Aid Mixer, our over-used popcorn maker, our too-small but perfect food processor- all 120v.  Then, it was with fear I approached my coffeemaker and turned it over to look at the manufacturer information.  Sadness fell over me as I stared at the hard, cold facts printed right in front of me: my beloved Kuerig was 120v compatible.  As I stuck my damning sticky note on its cover, a sense of panic came over me - it's going to be stressful enough without having a permanent place to live for almost a month, what the heck am I going to do without my soothing ritual of my 10 morning cups of coffee (ok, maybe not 10 cups, but its definitely not 1)

It wasn't until later in the day when was wandering around World Market that the answer hit me.  Actually, to be precise, it hit my foot, as in the little labels they use to advertise prices of products fell on my foot as I was standing in front of a display.  I picked up the label, which advertised a sale on Bodum French Presses, and I almost said outloud "Ah HA!  Screw electricity!"  I picked up the press and made my purchase, marching home with a smile on my face for my smart buy.

(source)

Then I got home and realized "I have no idea how to work one of these things."  Yes, I've drank French press before, but I've never made it myself.  I sat analyzing the directions, thinking "this seems easy enough, but still easy enough to screw up."  I've designed intricate building systems, but yet I was intimidated by a simple French press.    So this morning I went to work experimenting.  Coarse ground coffee?  Well I had my French Market Coffee w/ Chicory, which looked coarse, so I went with that.  8 scoops.

Next: Fill it up with water and stir -- heres where I got nervous because I ALWAYS get the ratios off, hence why my coffee often tastes like jet-fuel.  The Keurig fixes that problem for me, but non-the-less, time to learn again.

Then I stirred my brew, put the cap on and let it sit for 5 mins.  

I pressed down the plunger and poured.  I said a little prayer before taking a sip, and the result?

It was the best cup of coffee I've ever drank.

Seriously.  

So smooth and perfect -- I automatically thought "what the heck have I been drinking the past 6 years?"  Even with chicory, this coffee was perfect.  I'm in love.

Do you use a French press to make your coffee?  If so, what caused you to make the switch?