Coffee Brewing Using French Press aka Plunger

After my dad was diagnose with a  serious heart condition, he had to make a drastic diet change. A dietitian visited him at the hospital and told him about food choices. What is healthy, what is not, etc etc...

She told us that we should substitute coconut milk with low fat milk in your cooking. According to dad, mom's curry made with low fat milk is awesome. The dietitian also asked us to change our cooking oil to olives oil and coconut oil should only be use for frying. Fried food need to be consumed as rarely as possible. Most importantly, we have to control our salt in take. Did you know that a normal healthy person should only consume 2 teaspoon of salt every day?

Apart from the salt in take, the other 1 thing that stuck to my mind like glue is about 3 in 1 drinks. She said those drinks are very bad because of the creamer content. The creamer inside each packet is the source of bad cholesterol. It is quite ok to consume 1 packet per week but if we make it a habit and drink it every day, we could one day get a heart problem.

I used to drink instant coffee all the time. Ipoh old town white coffee was my favourite. The coffee taste was strong yet it is sweet. A mug of that used to keep me awake all night during my Uni days. Used to take it with biskut marie. A great pair those two.

After I was (mis)diagnose with IBS, I stopped taking instant coffee and switch to decaf and mint tea. After the surgery, I start making healthier choices and switch creamer with low fat milk. Nowadays, I brew my own coffee using Bodum french press.

It took me 1 month to master the french press method (its easy really but I'm just slow learner when it comes to these stuff). At first, my coffee was too weak. It seems that I got the measurement (coffee to water) wrong. Once I got the measurement right, the taste was a bit off. It has some sourish taste to it. After a bit of research, I understand that my brewing time was not long enough. So, I read and watch youtube videos and now I get to drink a perfect cup of coffee every morning. I didn't know that stirring the coffee after pouring hot water on it was so important.

I started to brew my own coffee because drinking coffee at a cafe is so costly these days. Yes they make awesome stuff but why pay them when you can make your own and have it anytime you want? A simple latte at the only cafe near my office could cost me RM12 per cup (not mug). They use illy and they taste awesome. Imagine if I take away RM12's latte every morning for a month? Nearly 300 just for coffee?

If you have a french press, you get to brew fresh mug of coffee every morning which could cost RM30 or the most RM90 a month just for the beans. Ok la perhaps you would spend RM150 if you take into account the milk you are using.

Talking about milk, its an important ingredient as well to make a nice cup of latte. I tried Marigold's low fat milk first coz that was the brand I'm used to. I love their strawberry milk, so smooth and yummy but I find there is a distinctive smell to their low fat milk. When you add into your coffee, it could overpower your coffee smell and its not nice.

So now I am using F&N Magnolia low fat milk. No smell. Slightly cheaper than Marigold so, win-win!

Yesterday I went to Dome for iced coffee and I see them using Farmhouse Australia fresh milk. If I'm not mistaken, Chatime also using that milk for their drinks. Slightly pricier but I should give it a try. But then again, its not low fat milk they are using for their drinks. Farmhouse range has low fat and also skim milk, not sure how it would taste tho. Will have to try them out and post a review on them soon.

I am not a serious coffee brewer, I am just a serious coffee drinker. I still go out for coffee once in a while. Just sitting in a quiet cafe, reading Games of Throne and sipping coffee is my guilty pleasure. Happy brewing everyone.