Monday, August 22, 2016

Common Grounds

I have not yet, nor will I likely become, a Keurig fan.  Yes, I've used them -- the break room at my old office had one and I would bring my own K-Cups in.  But with each cup I brewed, I died a little inside.  It's not just the cost, it's the wasteful packaging.  More than that, it's the flavor. To me, the best brew comes out of a percolator -- the older, the better.

Those who have read my past blog will probably recall my percolator obsession.  My motto is "When you see an old percolator, buy it."  The newer models don't brew as well and will only do if there is no alternative.  The specimen shown here came from a garage sale in Williamson, NY.  When I saw the sign for the house sale on the way to our camp, I knew I'd come by the next day to look for a percolator.

This particular style is my favorite -- set the brew to "Stronger" and you'll get a rich cup that is piping hot.  These old versions brew a very hot cup and the aroma is out of this world.  Chez Petite has about five percolators at this point.  The one currently in use is an avocado green version of the one shown today.  While it will probably last forever, I need replacements to fall back on.  Since the supply of these old things is not unlimited, I buy them whenever I see them.

A good price for one of these is certainly no  more than five bucks.  This one cost me a buck.  Always check to be sure the cord is in good condition -- it's the part that is most likely to go first.  Keep the cord dry and check it regularly to be sure it's not falling apart.

Aside from the storage space they take up in my basement, once a unit is put into use, it is easy to store in a cabinet -- unlike a Keurig, which generally takes up counter space.  A one pound bag of coffee takes up half the space of a box of 12 K-cups -- but makes about eight times as much coffee.  Aside from taste, the economy of space is the reason I love percolators.  That, plus you can keep multiple cups warm for an extended period of time.  When we are entertaining, I can get two going -- one with regular and one with decaff.  Guests always love the taste of perked java.

And when it's all said and done... there is a cool factor to a percolator that you don't get from a drip machine!

7 comments:

  1. Very interesting... so would you mind helping out the uneducated? What is the difference between a percolator and other kinds of coffee makers? I've never owned any kind of coffee machine. I just use a Melitta funnel thing - a gift from my German step-mother. You just put a filter in and pour the hot water through the coffee grounds.

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    1. A percolator constantly cycles boiling water up through a hollow stem that a basket of coffee grounds is stored in. Holes at the top of the compartment that holds the ground distributes the water, and holes at the bottom of the basket and gravity do the job of letting the steeped liquid pour down.

      The coffee stays warm, but you don't want to let it sit in the unit for hours as the brewed coffee can still circulate through the grounds. However, it's the circulation that emits that lovely roasted coffee smell. Yum!

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    2. Interesting! I come from a family of tea drinkers, so the finer points of coffee tend to be lost on me.

      On a side note, if boiling water is a pain in your trailer, you should get an electric kettle - not necessarily for coffee, just for other stuff. I have one at home and I love, love, love it!

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    3. I found one two weeks ago and haven't decided if I want to leave it at camp or make use of it at home. I was so happy to find it!

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  2. We make ours with a French Press and love it. Can certainly see how a percolator would make good cup too. Hate those little things you put in to make a cup, have used them in other places and was less than impressed.

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    1. We tried a French press in our RV but getting boiling water was a pain. The plug-in feature of a percolator is particularly helpful for us in a travel trailer. French press coffee does taste awesome but I'm just a bit too lazy to use that method!

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  3. I bought a drip coffee pot earlier in the year only to discover some time later , the hubby wanted a percolator. Which happened to be totally fine with me! Next chance we found a rusty red one for $10 at a dealer- it's Westinghouse! The coffee is soooo good!
    And I don't think you mentioned - no paper waste, since there's a basket and no need for a filter! I toss the grounds in the garden too!

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