The perfect cup of coffee

My newest healthy obsession is coffee. Though I have always been a coffee fan, I had never taken any steps beyond putting dark roast in my Mr. Coffee two-cup. Now, our household has a whole new coffee routine.

We now have a Mr. Coffee bean grinder, airtight ceramic containers for bean storage, and a Bodum French Press. Note the colour coordination, which delights the eyes as one prepares to delight the palette.

The ceramic containers are stored at room temperature, and keep out both light and air. This ensures that the roasted organic shade-grown fair-trade coffee beans housed within maintain their delicate bouquet, and preserves the natural oils of the beans.

The grinder facilitates using whole beans. Again, the goal is to preserve as much of the bean's oils and flavours as possible.

The French Press is our latest acquisition. Ground coffee beans now co-mingle with hot (not boiling) filtered water for a full five minutes before they are pressed to the bottom of the container. Those all-important oils can now mix with the water, rather than getting caught in the filter or boiling off. As my colleague and fellow coffee obsessor Devan points out, the French Press uses no paper filters, so it is lower-impact than a standard coffee maker. Cherie and I also find it easier to clean.

I believe that the coffee from this new setup tastes better than that produced by the old setup, but this could be my mind rationalizing all the purchases.