Flutterby™! : Handpresso 2008-01-16 18:36:29.152305+00

Handpresso

2008-01-16 18:36:29.152305+00 by Dan Lyke 7 comments

Part, perhaps most, of the joy of drinking coffee for me are the rituals that spring up around it. Coffee is as much about the mythology we create around it, any schmuck can throw a tea bag in hot water, but when we break out the instant read thermometer on the french press, there's something that elevates a simple drink to the level of obsession that can surround single malt scotch, or wine.

When I'm drinking coffee by myself I use the aforementioned french press, it seems like a good way to make an on-demand cup without lots of excess kitchen gadgetry, but the Handpresso hand pumped espresso device could catch my attention. It uses pods, which limits the available beans and roasts, but I also like the site for looking at the marketing language they're using, there's a big acknowledgement that the ritual of the preparation is important.

Now if I could just figure a way to do this with paper filters so that all of the health benefits showed up too...

Two days after a super speed move into a new house, and your thoughts are centered upon coffee rituals. At that point, I considered myself luck to have found a Melita by the cup funnel. On the other hand, you just might be in denial. Best wishes with your new abode.

Part of the focus on the rituals is that I just got all of the necessary bits unpacked.

Giggle. I've also had some wonderful ritual moments with tea, there's a guy out in the San Geronimo Valley who led me through something like 8 incredibly different teas that he served with great reverence, all had wonderfully different flavors and subtleties, and I enjoyed them all, but for some reason I don't find that same thing in 'em when I do them for myself.

So, I guess the analog for someone who carefully brews their aged teas with a bamboo strainer is that any schmuck can spoon grounds into a drip coffee maker.

Seriously, don't go dissing tea! The clink of the teaspoon against the teapot, the aroma of the (loose leaf! always loose leaf!) tea in its tin, the look of my Chatsford teapot, the feel of *my* instant read thermometer in my hand -- these are the rituals that ground me and prepare me for the day. And that first biting sip of a properly prepared single estate Indian tea? It's deeply reassuring. Any schmuck can press the button on a Mr. Coffee!

Dan, too bad about teas... if you are ready to give tea another go (do it!) this is a small place in Berkeley the owner of which makes a yearly trek to China and brings back a bunch of various tea. They finally have a website with simple but effective brewing directions:

First, a disclaimer: I enjoy tea (mostly green) as well, but coffee is my thing. (PS: Thanks Eric for the great beans) - The handpresso is a neat idea, and it'd be great camping except: It's one more gadget to carry, it uses pods, and you still have to have some hot water.. I can heat water it my stainless french press, and often I just drink from it or use it for other things.

Best trick seen camping for quick good hot coffee: A MAPP torch and a GSI Mini Expresso Maker like: http://www.rei.com/product/401040 - But then he used a MAPP torch for lots of other things as well. But the coffee was almost instant. :)