France's 35 Hour Workweek Rears Its Head

But first, wtf The Economist?

Starbucks v McDonald's
Coffee wars
Jan 10th 2008
Starbucks ousts its boss and brings back its founder as a new threat emerges
[Click on the link (which works as of the posting of this entry) for the article.]

Come on Economist, get your own titles. Wankers. (Regardless, can you think of two less sympathetic companies?)

Enough about that. Pictured above are scrambled eggs (with smoked salmon, goat cheese, and chives), wheat toast, orange juice, and coffee (with some sugar and cream behind the press). This entry is about the French Press, the other stuff is just window dressing.

I'll admit that I didn't use the finest or freshest beans for the Press, but they weren't garbage or ancient either. As for technique, I'm confident that I can operate a plunger, and one of my college jobs required me to spend a lot of time with the device.

Compared to the previous Coffee Wars (the real Coffee Wars) entries, there was no comparison, and for this espresso drinker, the liquid from the Press just didn't hold up. Despite a relatively short brewing time, there were more notes of bitterness and other less pleasant flavors here than with the other methods. It wasn't that it was bad, because the infusion was perfectly enjoyable (especially with a touch of sugar and cream--and for an article on the French and cream, please see here), but it was no moka pot. And really, who can compete with Vietnam's cha phe sua da?

Still, there will always be a place for the Press in my life, at least until I break down and purchase a drip machine. It's nice for two small cups of coffee, and with good, fresh beans the result can be pretty good, particularly when one is looking to enjoy a full size cup of hot coffee.