For making delicious coffee, you really can't beat the french press. In just four minutes, you are enjoying a excellent cup of java and you can pretty much be guaranteed of this every time if you've been attentive and have followed the directions. Despite intimidating some, the same is true for the moka pot-- and it's really just as easy. The biggest difference between the brewing methods is that you are going to get about half the amount of coffee you'd get with a press pot, but it's going to deliver twice the punch. Here's how you do it:
Make sure you grind your beans just before you start- you can use the funnel of the moka pot to measure the amount you will need. Grind the beans so that they are just a bit finer than pre-ground coffee, but don't turn them into dust. If you are using a blade style grinder, give the beans short blasts followed by a shake of the grinder to allow the bigger chunks of the beans to fall to the bottom as you grind away.
The result should look something like this-- pour the grounds into the top of the funnel and level them off with your index finger. You can use the palm of your hand to pack them down so that they are level with the top of the funnel. Now, carefully remove the funnel and set it aside- you can stand it upright in your coffee cup to prevent it from getting knocked over. Notice the towel under the bottom half of the moka pot, you will need this in a later step, so have one ready.
If you haven't started to boil your water, it's time to. Just like Olympia beer, the key ingredient is the water. Norfolk has a decent water supply and only second in taste to what comes out of the ground in Burlington NC, so I just use cold tap water. Boil the water and get your towel folded lengthwise into thirds and place it under the bottom half of the moka pot as seen in the picture below.
Because you are after an awesome cup of coffee, you are going to boil the water before you pour it into the base of the moka pot. Heating up the water inside of the pot without pre-boiling the water will make your coffee taste nasty-- metallic nasty and doing it this way is going to make you some of the best coffee you've ever had. Carefully pour the water up to the fill line inside the base of the pot and fold each end of the towel up and around the bottom to protect your hand as you securely screw the top of the moka pot on with the other one. It should be nice and tight, but don't kill it.
It's go time! With the lid open, move the moka pot onto the burner- if it's a gas stove, make sure the flame doesn't creep past the edge of the bottom or you will burn / melt off the pot's handle. Continue to keep the lid open. After you get the pot on the burner, run the towel under cold water, fold it lengthwise into thirds again and place it back on the counter.
Focus your attention back to the pot now. You will soon hear a "cough" or see a puff of steam emit from the center spout. As the coffee begins to stream out it will be very dark-- as it fades from amber to blonde in color, close the top, remove the moka pot from the stove and place it onto the center of the folded wet towel. Carefully bring up the edges of the towel around the bottom of the pot to stop the brewing process.
That's it! Pour immediately into your favorite cup and enjoy. If you have followed these steps, you will have one strong, but extremely smooth cup of coffee.
