~Weekly Product Highlight~

While this isn’t my usual type of makeup Weekly Product Highlight  it is a product I love and I want to highlight it 🙂

Are you a coffee drinker?  Up until about 6 months ago, I would have said “Not me, no way, I never drink coffee!”  Then I slowly started to drink coffee and it has all been down hill since then, haha, just kidding.  I do enjoy drinking coffee now.  I am not one to go to a drive-thru, so I needed to learn how to make my own coffee.  I also didn’t want to get another appliance to take up room on my already limited kitchen counter space.

My husband suggested that I try out an Aero Press.   I am not going to lie, I made several really bad cups of coffee before figuring out what worked best for my taste, after some trial and error, I have been loving my new coffee maker.

If you don’t have a coffee maker already I definitely recommend this one.  It takes up minimal space and is very easy to use.  I have found that using a finely ground coffee works best, as well as adding a pinch of salt takes away the natural bitterness of some coffees. I like my coffee super strong, so I weigh out 26 grams of coffee grounds, then cover them with 185 degree water.  I swirl the water/coffee ground mixture for 15 seconds.  I then add 185 degree water up to almost the top of the press and let it rest for 45 seconds.  During this time I put the filter into the cap and wet the filter with the 185 degree water.  Once the 45 seconds is up, I put the cap on, flip the press over onto the top of my mug and slowly but consistently press the coffee out.  When a rush of air is heard, that means that the good part of the coffee is in the mug.  Discard the grounds and enjoy your cup of coffee.  (I add 185 degree water to my mug to make a full 8 oz of coffee.)

While I got mine from Amazon, they can also be bought at Crate and Barrel and Kohls as well as other places that sell home goods.

Here is what Amazon has to say about the Product Description

To brew a double espresso or 10-ounce cup of coffee:

• Place a microfilter in the bottom cap of the AeroPress chamber and twist the cap tightly closed.
• Place two scoops of ground coffee from the included AeroPress scoop into the chamber.
• Stand the chamber on a sturdy mug, then proceed to pour hot water into the top of the chamber (175 degrees F is optimal).
• Stir the water and coffee with the included paddle for about 10 seconds.
• Insert the plunger into the chamber and gently press down about a quarter of an inch and continue to maintain that pressure for 20 to 30 seconds (gentle pressure is the key to easy AeroPressing).

This will result in a double espresso. To make an Americano, simply top off the mug with hot water, or add hot milk for a creamy latte. The AeroPress can press from 1 to 4 scoops, and each scoop from the included AeroPress scoop makes the equivalent of a single espresso or 5 ounces of American coffee. Fill the chamber with hot water to the number corresponding to the number of scoops.

You can also make a full carafe of coffee using the AeroPress in less time than it takes to brew a pot of drip coffee. Two 3-scoop or 4-scoop pressing, topped off with hot water, will fill most vacuum carafes.

The AeroPress is the result of several years of applied research by inventor/engineer Alan Adler, who conducted numerous brewing experiments, measuring the brew with laboratory instruments. The experiments demonstrated that proper temperature, total immersion and rapid filtering were key to flavor excellence. He then designed and tested dozens of brewers before settling on the AeroPress design. Adler’s best-known invention is the Aerobie flying ring which set the Guinness World record for the world’s farthest throw (1,333 feet).