The Pursuit of the Perfect Cup
Because even fools need errands.
I’ll go so far as to say I’m somewhat of a coffee snob, but I stop short of claiming the title of “purist.” That’s to say, I can identify and appreciate a well-extracted cup, but I’ll rarely turn away a mediocre one. Nor would I ever scowl at those who prefer their local Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts–is it not the promise of America, after all, for everyone to be able to dictate their own method of caffeine imbibement?
As is true of so many things nowadays, the mark of true coffee “snobbery” is not about sourcing your morning cup exclusively from the most fair tradey, single-originy coffee shop around–it’s all about having the audacity to think that with enough practice and technique, you can make a cup as good as (if not better than) the barista wizards behind the counter. Possessing that downright impudent DIY mentality is what demarcates an “enthusiast” in any category from a mere consumer–and on that charge I am unquestionably guilty.
Not that it has always been a fruitful endeavor to attempt whipping up that perfect home cup. In fact, until recently I couldn’t “whip up” much of anything for lack of a proper pour over kettle, having to first boil water in a saucepan and then transfer it precariously into a Pyrex measuring cup. Not only was that a massive waste of time, not being able to precisely control the pour led to many inconsistent brews. For my first several months of Chemexing, making a coffee was a true labor of love–often without the delicious results to match the time and effort.
Things became so much easier when Nikki got me a kettle of my own–specifically a Hario Buono electric kettle. Not only does it bring a full Chemex’s worth of water to a boil in a few short minutes–it also allows for an exceptionally well-controlled pour. I recommend anyone in the market for a kettle take one of these electric versions into consideration; it adds such convenience and timesaving to the process that I’ve lately been brewing up a batch almost every single day. It even makes the proposition of a pre-work pour over a possibility.
As of writing this, my coffee-making arsenal consists of a 6-cup Chemex and filters, the Hario Buono, and a few ounces of La Piñona from Ritual (wait, I finished that this morning–time to pick up some more coffee!). I plan to add a food scale and hand grinder to my repertoire, as I currently rely on a tablespoon and frequent trips to Peet’s for my measuring and grinding needs. I might also dabble with the french press for those days pour over just isn’t worth the work. The Perfect Cup–the one that will make me sell my equipment and swear off the beverage for the rest of my days–still eludes me, but with every batch I inch a little closer…