The Perfect Joe

by Alysa Sullivan, February 26, 2007

Like many of you, I love a nice cup of coffee in the morning. I'm not in it for the caffeine buzz as much as the sensory satisfaction . I'm looking for the aroma, the color and the taste of a well made cup of joe. When it all comes together and I am greeted by this magical triple whammy it gets my day off on a good footing.

How and from where I get my fix goes in cycles. I will go through a long period when i just want a well trained barista to whip up my latte. Heading out to the coffee bar or cafe becomes a ritual for me, part escape, part procrastination and part ten minute indulgence. But after a few months of this I begin to miss the extra $4 dollars in my pocket a day and the paper cup/plastic lid begins to lose it's charm.

I like to take my extra pocket change to any number of stores in our area for locally roasted, fair trade and organic beans. Two of my favorite roasters are in New Paltz; The Mudd Puddle Cafe (Water Street Market, New Paltz) I go in for their hometown Gunks Blend, or I stop in at 60 Main (60 Main Street) for some of thier fairly traded beans.

Now, I am not a fan of the home drip machine, i know there are plenty of great bells and whistles out there, but for me drip coffee has nothing to offer and somehow every pot I make winds up smelling burnt. Likewise, I have never gone in for the home espresso machine assuming that unless I bought the top of the line for a bazillion dollars, it would wind up on the shelf collecting dustonce the novelty wore off.

For my money, the best coffee at home comes out of my french press. The process couldn't be simpler or make, what I think, is a more perfect cup. Meaure your finely ground beans, put them in the pot, add boiling water, stir ,and place the lid on (DO NOT PRESS YET!!!). After four minutes, gently press on the center lever, compressing the grounds to the bottom of the pot. The sieve will keep the grinds at the bottom of the pot away from your brew.

My favorite press of the moment comes from Bodum, the stainless-steel body will not break as the traditional glass cylinders do (I have broken too many to count) and it will act as an insulating thermos.
The eight-cup press is available at The Blue Cashew Kitchen Apothecary (1209 Route 213, High Falls 845-687-0294) $60.













If you are looking for beauty, science and entertainment, check out the Bodum Santos vaccuum brewing system. What looks like a science experiment
makes wonderful coffee and makes for very clever dinner conversation (Also at Blue Cashew- $100)





Being the latte lover I am my next step is to froth my milk (or soy or almond or what have you). Shaun at Blue Cashew recommends the Aerolatte frother ($35) over the Bodum and I trust his advice all the way.

Now that your coffee is made, you are ready to move on to the vessel stage. I used to be enamored with these simple white Italian pottery mugs I have. They had the perfect body shape to wrap your hand around. But, the love affair faded in direct proportion to the tenacity of the ugly coffee stains on the inside that no amount of vinegar will get out! As of late, somewhat in homage to my Russian grandparents habit of sipping tea from a glass, I have fallen in love with the double insulated glasses from, once again, Bodum. Bodum's insulated glassware is made from durable Borosilicate glass. All you need to know is that means that the glasses are thinner, lighter and stronger than traditionally made glass. They also keep the heat or the cold in. So, your hot coffee will stay hot in winter and your iced coffee iced in the summer. You can find these wonderful glasses at both Blue Cashew and at Cocoon (Main Street, New Paltz). The glasses come in a variety of sizes and styles but all are worth the investment of $7 to $15 per glass.

The final stage for my coffee is the perfect sugar cube. I was so happy to find that Toscani and Son's (127 Main St., New Paltz 845-255-6770) sells my all world favorite sugar; La Perruche ($14) The cubes melt perfectly and add a carmelly sweetness that really does remind me of my favorite cafes.





Thoughts for me? E-mail me at Theshoppinglist@hvc.rr.com.

Alysa Sullivan learned to be a discerning shopper at an early age, when her taste for quality was outstripped by her measly 25-cent weekly allowance.