A Good Cup of Coffee

  Of the many things we left behind when we moved from the city, I missed some of my favourite restaraunts, and a good, robust cup of barrista-slung coffee.  It took a little while for me to figure out how to make something that was as satisfying a treat, but (if you'll pardon me for my unabashed pride) my farmhouse kitchen coffee has become a hit, and something that is looked forward to by visitors.  I happen to love it too; it's what coaxes me out of bed in the morning, and one cup is quite satistying enough... so I thought I'd share how it's done.

The details are important, but it's oh so simple once you have what you need.

Start with whole, dark roasted, fair-trade coffee beans.  (I store mine in the cold room or freezer to keep them fresh.)  Grind just what you need for a day or two at a time.  (Again, I store any unused ground coffee in the freezer.)  You can use a java press if you have one, but since I recently broke mine, I've found out that a jar works just as well!  The following is for coffee for one, but the recipe can be doubled-

Put 1 1/2 Tbsp of ground coffee into a pint jar. 

Add a tiny pinch of salt if you like.

Pour boiling water over the coffee grounds to the top of the jar (that's 2 cups).... 

...Let it sit for just a minute or two...

...then strain the coffee into your mug.

Now, a word on fixing it-

Please please if you take cream, then use real cream.  Milk won't do.  Neither will half-and-half.  If you can't find some nice fresh off-the-farm cream, then buy a little carton of whipping cream.  It is so worth the difference!  I use honey to sweeten my coffee, which is a bit unconventional, but it's very good -though not as essential as using real cream!! 

Try it once and see if you don't love it too!