Life's Too Short for Bad Coffee

I was raised with a traditional coffee maker, the kind that sits on the hot burner embittering the brew until the small amount left evaporates, the pot shatters and I'm off to the hardware store to buy another. This method virtually guarantees a very bad cup of coffee.

I've found that many of my colleagues in the food world choose the single-cup drip method when they home brew. It's the abacus of coffee making: retro, low-tech and dependable. In the era where coffee makers are priced as high as $20,000, I vote for simple.

You'll need:

1. Filtered water, and a heating source. My preference is an electric kettle, as it's faster than a microwave or a stove, and even if you don't have access to appliances, you can always find an outlet. Bed Bath & Beyond(BBBY - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) offers over half a dozen kettles -- take your pick.

	Kettle
	Photo: Bed Bath & Beyond

2. Beans and a coffee grinder. I would no sooner choose your beans than I'd choose your tie. Experiment and play; this is where coffee geeks compete with oenophiles for their chemistry-lab credibility. Try a mild Hawaiian, a medium Kenyan, a robust Sumatra, and hey, even decaf is cool. Avoid flavors like vanilla and hazelnut, as they cover up the coffee flavor. Buy your beans whole, and grind just before using. I recommend a Krups grinder, which is can be found for under $20.

3. A filter holder and a filter. Choose a gold reusable filter from a specialty or hardware store, or buy Melitta disposable paper filters in the grocery store. Purists believe that coffee oils get stuck in the paper filters, and opt for the reusable filters. Regarding the filter holder, there are options: porcelain or plastic, one hole drip or three. I opt for porcelain, because I like the substantial feel of it, and try to limit the plastic in my house. One hole lets the hot water meander slowly through the coffee, picking up flavor and nuance.

Directions:

Heat your water to just below boiling.

Grind your beans. For each 8-ounce cup, you'll need three to five level tablespoons of coffee.

Put the dry grounds in the filter, inside the warmed filter holder. Pour a few tablespoons of water over the dry grounds. Watch as they expand! Look at that crema! Inhale deeply as you begin coffee aromatherapy.

Continue pouring the water into the filter in a thin stream, gently stirring the wet grounds as you pour. This should take a minute or so.

Finish that cup as you like; I top mine with a splash of half and half.

Drink and enjoy. This is the best cup of coffee that money can't buy. Because in this case, perfection can't be purchased; it must be produced one loving cup at a time.