for the few who don't know how (lyn)

After weeks of trying, I finally perfect my drip coffee-making skills.

I’ve been using a Keurig coffee maker for almost three years, but it does get expensive (the pods cost up to $1 each, and I use Poland Spring water).  The thing about Keurig that I love, aside from its simplicity, is its exactness. The pods are pre-measured. My only decision is how much water to use.  And even that’s easy because the three choices the machine offers (small, medium, or large) all work well with the pods.

Making my own is far more complicated.  I have to account for two variables: water and coffee.

This was my trial week.  I bought Illy coffee because of the many good reviews it got.  I go on line and find a consumer that says 1 1/3 T of coffee per cup is perfect.  I try this combination and the coffee tastes bitter.  I know so little about coffee that I don’t know if a bitter taste means I need to add more coffee or more water.

More research is needed. I fill three measuring cups full of water and pour them into my coffee carafe.  I expect the water to reach the 3-cup line.  It doesn't. It reaches the 4-cup line.  This is my aha moment when I learn that one cup of coffee is actually six ounces, not eight. I wonder if this is one of those things that everyone in the world knows except me?

Armed with this new knowledge, I then do some in-store research.  According to a clerk at Zabars, “Saul Zabar always said it’s two tablespoons of coffee to every six ounces of water.”   

I find the perfect 2T scooper at Dean & Deluca.  It’s the right weight (heavy), right length (long), and most importantly, right look (stainless steel).  I buy it.

Next I purchase some filters to eliminate the messy task of cleaning the coffee grinds from the gold filter.

And finally, I buy some Dunkin’ Donuts ground coffee and make my first great cup.

The end (I hope).