Coffee the Hard Way

OH MY GOD! THE COFFEE MAKER IS BROKEN!

For some reason, there was coffee flowing down the outside of the caraffe — and it flowed right down into the electronic guts that turn it on and off. Not anymore.

After a period of weeping and gnashing of teeth, I went to the basement to dig out Plan-B: the Coleman 9-Cup Aluminum Coffee Pot.

This is a true American classic, even though these days it’s certainly made in China. These make coffee that will kick your ass six ways to Sunday, a dark and rich brew that’s not just caffeinated jet fuel, but dense with coffee grounds to boot. Mmmmm… chunky.

The Coleman has only seen the kitchen during the occasional power outage; its natural habitat is outdoors on the propane stove, where you sit tired and cold in a camp chair, waiting for the perking coffee to get sufficiently brown.

The internet informs me that our new coffee maker will be delivered today, and the Coleman goes back into the camping bin. I may take it out now and then anyway, along with the little propane burner.

To me, coffee often tastes better outside, like when you’re sitting on the deck early in the morning. Even better when it’s brewed under the big sky, chunks and all.

9 thoughts on “Coffee the Hard Way

  1. Head over to Walmart – Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Coffeemakers in your choice of black, or black, for $9.99. I tried the more expensive Krups (lasted 3 months) and Bunn (almost one month) and GE (six months!) and I’m convinced the least expensive machine that lasts at least a year is the way to go.

    1. The one thing I really wanted was a thermos-style caraffe, so I paid quite a bit more. Darn thing better last for five years…

  2. Grounds control: polk a small hole in a paper filter and slip it over the bubble -thru tube.
    Line the bottom of the strainer with napkins or paper towels.
    Make a bag out of an old bed sheet or pillow case, pour some coffee in, tie it with a string, and just drop it in the pot – no strainer.

    An early lesson , for those that have only used electric coffee makers. When using an old fashioned coffee pot, do not wait for it to stop bubbling thru the tube. If you do, you’lll have no coffee, no pot, and possibly no wife( or probably a very angry one) , and no house. Is it worth it? Only the true non-coffee addict knows for sure.

  3. mmmm – true perked coffee

    bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes – just having it perk lightly, let set for 5 minutes
    Good to pour

    also, they make filters that you can put in the coffee basket – makes it much easier to clean

    and.
    can’t go back to a glass coffee pot after using the insulated carafe, and machine that turns itself off after brewing
    enjoy your coffee – I think I need an after lunch cup

  4. I use a cone filter coffee maker. I won’t mention names, but it uses Melitta® filters and has a cool toggle switch on the front. We also have a single-cup plastic cone filter holder that sits on top of a cup. When the power went out for a year, I mean, a few days back in September during the Lee flooding, I heated water on the side burner on the grill and poured it over the coffee a few times. Couldn’t have survived without it!

  5. I was raised watching the “perks” through the little glass bulb on top of the aluminum coffee pot – and the coffee was delish! And although I am now a dedictaed keurig user, I recently had stove top perked coffee with my Dad who still uses that old contraption – and it was truly as good as I remembered!

Leave a Reply to Gloria Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *