Morning Coffee Simple
by Bob Schwartz
A while back it was revealed that Howard Schultz, patriarch of Starbucks, did not use some $10,000 piece of equipment to make his morning coffee. And he did not go to Starbucks.
Instead, his preferred brew was a cup of French press. Simple French press.
For those who don’t press, this is how it goes.
Put coffee grounds in the pot.
Pour hot water over them.
Stir.
Put plunger top on pot.
Wait.
Plunge.
Drink.
This is an almost entirely silent process. No machines, no clatter, no hisses and moans. The loudest sound is the cascading hot water. And if you listen carefully, you might hear the whooshing of the plunger descending to press.
When you practice this morning after morning, it is a bit like a Japanese tea ceremony. Each movement and event is precise and focused: watching the waterfall into the pot, watching the eddies as the grounds swirl and sink.
As with the tea ceremony, when you’re all done, you have both an experience and a perfect cup to drink. What more could a simple man or a simple billionaire ask for?
Bob Schwartz 
You make the process sound beautiful. I, someone who has never appreciated the bitter aftertaste of coffee, am now tempted to make myself a cup of French press.
Nice post. The South-Indian filter coffee method is similar in its peacefulness. It’s one cylinder with a perforated bottom over another with a solid bottom. The powder is added to the top cylinder and hot water is poured into it. And we wait. The bottom cylinder slowly fills up with delicious coffee, to be diluted as needed. Excellent pick-me-up. Might take a little longer than a French Press though.