Espresso is most often made in an espresso machine under pressure,
right? But I thought French Presses are also used to make espresso, right?
How do these techniques compare? Is a French Press an inexpensive to a
pressurized espresso maker?

Thanks,
Adam

Adam, the French press is modestly priced. I've seen good ones for $35
or so. I'm sure one could find small ones (2 cup) for less.

The press is common in Europe and is used to make a good cup of richly
brewed coffee, but it's not espresso. The press combines several
measures of coffee with boiling water, the water is poured into the
container with the ground coffee. This mixture is then stirred, The
screen/filter is then pressed over the coffee and water and after a
moment or two to brew, it's ready to pour.

It surely beats coffee prepared in many (but not all) other ways. The
down side is that the clean up of the press involves taking apart the
screen/filter and then reassembling it. We have several, including one
we keep on our motorhome. It's amazing that this isn't more widely
recognized and used, as the quality of a rich cup of coffee, to me, is
paramount. The press makes that great cup easy.

Bob McNabb

Adam Schwartz wrote:
Espresso is most often made in an espresso machine under pressure,
right? But I thought French Presses are also used to make espresso, right?
How do these techniques compare? Is a French Press an inexpensive to a
pressurized espresso maker?

Thanks,
Adam


Absolutely not. French press is another way to make coffee, not
espresso. In fact, the grounds are fairly large, as opposed to fine in
espresso. It makes absolutely great coffee. Since it is (normally) a
glass container, it won't hold the temp for very long. So, I would
suggest a small one for yourself, while maybe the 32oz for groups.
--
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener

"Adam Schwartz" wrote in message
news:5OHkb.826242$Ho3.229039@sccrnsc03...

Espresso is most often made in an espresso machine
under pressure, right?

Ideally, yes.

But I thought French Presses are also used to make
espresso, right?

Nope -- as others have said, a french press makes "regular" coffee.
It's absolutely my favorite way to prepare coffee.

If you're short on funds and still want a decent home-brewed cup of
espresso, try one of the stove-top espresso pots (also called a moka
pot, and sometimes decried decried for not making "the real thing" --
and while it's not true that a moka pot doesn't make "true" espresso,
it does make a reasonable facsimile -- more info here [see the sidebar
for specifics]: http://www.coffeekid.com/other/newbies/espresso).
Anyway, you can see one he
http://www.surlatable.com/common/pro...s.cfm?PRRFNBR=
9839

Book recommendation: "Coffee" by Kenneth Davids -- virtually
guaranteed to send you screaming out into the streets looking for that
perfect cup.
-j

BubbaBob wrote:

A French Press makes a fine pot of coffee with considerable 'mouth
feel' (AKA 'mud'). You need a good grinder to minimize the mud
content. By good I mean at least a $100 investment and preferably
more. You'd need that to make espresso, as well.


I've got a $39.00 Capresso Burr Grinder that works great for my Bodum
French Press... It's a little messy but for that price I can't complain...

~john!


--
What was it like to see - the face of your own stability - suddenly look
away...

Bob McNabb wrote:

Adam, the French press is modestly priced. I've seen good ones for $35
or so. I'm sure one could find small ones (2 cup) for less.

The press is common in Europe and is used to make a good cup of richly
brewed coffee, but it's not espresso. The press combines several
measures of coffee with boiling water, the water is poured into the
container with the ground coffee. This mixture is then stirred, The
screen/filter is then pressed over the coffee and water and after a
moment or two to brew, it's ready to pour.

Not quite correct. After you pour in the water over the grinds, you let
it sit for a couple of minutes, and THEN you press down the filter. The
idea is for the water and grinds to remain in contact so you can
actually make the coffee.
--
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener