In the last few years I’ve gone from enjoying a mid morning cup of Nescafe to becoming a complete and utter coffee snob – and I’m not ashamed to admit it!
You name it; I’ve tried it!
Espresso, Macchiato, Americano… and I’m not opposed to mocking the entire industry whilst playing ‘cafe’ with my kids… “I’ll have a tall skinny mocha chocca cappuccino frappuccino latte please”. J
All joking aside, I like my ‘cup of Joe’ strong and black but regularly find that my home brew is disappointing. So, when I was given the chance to pick the brain of brewmaster Kevin Scanlon at the Nicholas Mosse Café and Country store, I jumped at the chance!
I asked Kevin how to brew the perfect cup of coffee at home and this was his advice:
- Fresh coffee makes the best coffee – so if you really want to create the perfect cup, grind your own beans!
- Only grind as much as you need in that moment;
- Use a good quality cafetière (or French press). I particularly love my Nicholas Mosse cafetière because it’s beautiful, hardwearing and retains the heat.
- Use one tablespoon of ground coffee per cup. So if you’ve got a 2-cup (small) cafetière (or French press) use 2 tablespoons. I use 4 tablespoons in my large cafetière
- Don’t worry about keeping your coffee (beans or ground) in the fridge, there is no evidence to suggest that keeping coffee in the fridge keeps it fresher;
- Boil a kettle of fresh water and leave it to sit for 1 minute before adding to the cafetière (this is so you don’t scald the coffee).
- Don’t use re-boiled water because it will have lost oxygen, and it’s oxygen that helps coffee percolate;
- Just cover the ground coffee with water and stir, then fill your cafetière and stir again.
- Let the brew infuse for 4 minutes before you plunge and pour.
Armed with this info, my earthenware coffee mugs and hand painted Fuchsia cafetière, I made two purchases: a coffee grinder (which I rather cheekily wrapped up as a Christmas present for my husband) and coffee beans.
I followed Kevin’s instructions and the result was, and continues to be, a large ceramic mug of coffee heaven.
My coffee crush continues…and coming soon to Nicholas Mosse.....NEW Large Cafetieres in all 5 colours of Lawn - Keep an eye on their Facebook page to see when they are available on-line.
- Leann Matthews
