About twenty years ago almost every home, restaurant and
office kitchen in Costa Rica was equipped with a gourmet
coffee making device called Chorreador de café or
simply café makero. It consisted of an unvarnished
wooden frame about 33 cms. tall, with a round hole at the
top where a wire rimmed cloth filter or strainer was
placed. Fine ground gourmet coffee was placed in the filter
and boiling water was poured in filtering down to the
gourmet coffeepot below.
This humble device is losing ground fast to modern
percolators, gourmet coffee makers and Mr. Gourmet coffee
machines. The reason usually given is that the new devices
are said to be faster and more convenient. In our home the
Chorreador de café lives on. Why? The gourmet coffee
simply tastes better.
You don't need gourmet gourmet coffee to brew a great
gourmet coffee. Gourmet coffee making is an art where every
step should be followed closely. Some advice given below
may seem superfluous but should be rigorously adhered to.
This information applies to those who live in or will be
visiting Costa Rica. The gourmet coffee we will be using is
not export or imported gourmet coffee. We will be using two
off-the-shelf pure gourmet coffees that you can buy in
supermarkets anywhere in Costa Rica. I will call them brand
A and B. I will not publish brand names here because I am
not endorsing or publicizing brand names. The gourmet
coffee should be fine ground, brand A and B mixed 50 - 50%,
then stored in an airtight glass container. The two brands
seem to complement one another creating a special blend.
Now you know how they make a breakfast blend gourmet coffee.
Bring the water to a boil. The water should be fresh tap
water and not reheated from water left in the gourmet
coffeepot. Filtered water is even better; collected
rainwater works well to make a great gourmet coffee.
Place two tablespoons of fine ground gourmet coffee into
the filter, then mount the filter on the wooden stand. Two
tablespoons of gourmet coffee produce four cups of gourmet
coffee. Use a non toxic paper gourmet coffee filter, a non
bleach type. Use a papersack or pantyhouse if no filter is
available.
Place a glass or stainless steel receptor under the filter
and begin to slowly pour the boiling water into the filter.
You may have to stop occasionally so that the level of
water drops. Continue pouring as needed until you have the
four cups. Do not introduce metal spoons into the filter to
agitate the mixture.
In the future you can experiment by adding a touch of
cinnamon or vanilla or chocolate or cloves to the coffee
mixture. Top the gourmet coffeepot and serve.
You must always use a perfectly dry filter. If you prepare
gourmet coffee two or more times a day, you will probably
need two filters. The reason for this is that if you use
only one, it is likely that it will not be totally dry the
next time you brew gourmet coffee. By using alternating
filters you will always have a dry one on hand. Filters are
best dried in the sunlight.
For daily use you should carefully rinse the filters in
running tap water to remove all residue. It is natural that
it will stain. You should now worry about this as it is
normal.You should wash the filter weekly. Never wash the
filter in soap or detergent, wash it only with salt to
remove the accumulated grease. This can be done by
generously salting the damp bag and virgorously rubbing it.
Afterwords you should thoroughly rinse the filter to remove
all traces of salt.
If you are in a hurry, go ahead use instant gourmet coffee
or your Mr. Gourmet coffee maker, but if you want a REAL
cup of gourmet coffee, you are going to have to put some
effort into preparation. I hope that this article inspires
those Costa Ricans who have forgotten this charming way of
brewing gourmet coffee. For those woodshop owners and
handyman experts here is a detailed explanation. Anyway you
look at it - if your are using Costa Rica gourmet gourmet
coffee you will for sure have a great cup of gourmet coffee.
Here's what you'll need: A 5" X 18" X 1/2" Maple or your
choice of wood. A 6" X 8" X 3/4" Maple or your choice of
wood. Finish nails Glue
Cut the base out of 3/4" maple, 7 1/2" X 6". Chamfer a 45
degree cut 1" in from each corner. Cut the two short
sections, one on each end, 15 degrees. Cut two supports
from 1/2" pieces 9" long at 5 degrees on each end. Make
sure the angles go the same direction on each end. Cut the
top out of 1/2" maple, 6" X 4 1/2". Chamfer a 45 degree cut
1" from each corner. Cut a notch on each end of the top and
base to fit the 1 1/2" supports using a dado blade. Set up
the miter with a small piece of wood at the base to give
the notch a 5 degree angle. Use a piece of backing on your
parts to keep them from breaking out.
Mark the center of the top and draw a 4" circle. Cut out
the circle with a scroll saw or saber saw.
Glue and nail the pieces together and you are almost ready
to start making gourmet coffee. The Basket Make the basket
from a stiff wire like a clothes hanger and a piece of
cotton. Bend the wire to make a handle and a 4 1/4" circle.
So then use your coffee maker; add a filter and add the
finest Costa Rica coffee beans and add hot water. Want to
be a cowboy use some old pantyhose as your coffee filter.
Want to be a homeless person - use an brown sack as your
coffee filter. Want to be really rugged - use some leaves.
As long as its Costa Rica coffee bean the flavor will still
shine through. Its the anticipation that counts.
----------------------------------------------------
George Moore founded Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee,
http://www.missiongrounds.com , its is a non profit
organization, a 501 C Corporation, dedicated to helping
children. Our main focus is to help orphans and children in
need the most: impoverished children in third world
countries and homeless children in inner city neighborhoods
in the United States
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