The average American drinks 2.1 cups of coffee a day. Collectively, Americans drink 4,630 cups of coffee each second. And September 29th is National Coffee Day.

Cold brew coffee, which has been around quite a while (we’ve had a Toddy cold brew system for 20+ years), has finally hit the mainstream.

Coffee drinkers find it has superior flavor; and in the summer, iced coffee is as easy as adding cold water to cold-brew concentrate from the fridge. (Here are some well-reviewed brands).

Companies from Folgers to Blue Bottle sell cold-brew coffee. You can buy large bottles of concentrate; you can buy grab-and-go 16-ounce bottles.

Yet, if you have a French press, you can make trendy cold brew coffee without purchasing a special cold brew system or a bottle of ready-brewed. The French press recipe is below. But first:
 
WHAT’S A FRENCH PRESS?

A French press is a coffee-brewing device consisting of a pot with a removable plunger made of fine mesh.

Coarse-ground coffee is added to the pot, followed by boiling water. The plunger device is placed on top. The coffee grounds float in the water.

When the coffee is ready to be poured, the plunger is employed. As it is pushed down, the grounds are pushed to the bottom. It does not use electricity; although you likely need it to heat the water.

If you have a French press, there’s no need to buy a cold brew system, or pricey bottles of cold brew coffee at retail.

Today, you can find coffee presses in stainless steel, in a stainless holder with a glass beaker (photo #1), and in plastic.

French presses are made in sizes from 1-2 cups to 10 cups or more. There are travel mug versions, of course: We use this coffee press “mug” from Bodum.

French press or coffee press is the name in English; although in In New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, the apparatus is known as a coffee plunger. In France it is called cafetière à piston; in Italy it is a caffettiera a stantuffo.
 
Brewing Tea In A French Press

You can use a French press to brew loose tea as well, but don’t use a press that is used to brew coffee. Even after washing, microscopic bits of coffee oil can cling to the glass or metal, imparting an unwelcome undertaste to the tea.

[1] The classic design of the modern French press (this one is from Bonjour). [2] One of the artisan cold-brews sold at retail (photo courtesy Jittery John’s).

The first known design for a plunge-type brewer was patented in 1852 by two French designers, Mayer and Delforge. You can see their design at PerfectlyGroundCoffee.com.

Per Brooklyn Roasting it was ahead of its time; manufacturing was not precise enough to snugly fit the filter within pot of the design.

Others tried their hand, but the first iteration of brewer that we know today was patented by Italian designers Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta in 1929. They employed a rubber seal around the edge of the filter.

The design evolved, with improved the function of the rubber seal.

The design we know today was patented by a Swiss designer, Faliero Bondanini, in 1958. It was manufactured in France and called a chambord. With a compact design and no required electrical outlet, it became a very popular brewing method.
 
HOW TO MAKE COLD BREW COFFEE IN A FRENCH PRESS

These instructions are proportions for an 8-cup French press. Remember that the “standard” cup size used by manufacturers was set long before coffee mugs and modern insulated travel mug containers were in use. So if you use a large mug, you’ll get 4 mugs worth from an 8-cup press, or three 16-ounce travel mugs.

Use only coarse-ground coffee. Smaller grains will slip through the mesh filter and produce unacceptable coffee.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the coffee in an 8-cup French press. Add the water. Stir the grinds to integrate with the water.

2. PLACE the French press plunger on top (do not plunge into the water) and place in the fridge for 12 hours.

3. PRESS down on the plunger, which pushes all the grounds to the bottom, underneath the mesh filter. Pour and enjoy cold with ice, or warm in the microwave.
 
TIP: Depending on how well the coffee is ground, a few grounds may escape into the coffee. Our mom further poured the coffee through a piece cheesecloth. We don’t.

[3] Fashionable restaurants bring coffee to the table in a French press (photo courtesy Kabuki Japanese restaurants). [4] It’s easy to grind your own beans for a French press, since the coffee is coarsely ground (photo of manual coffee grinder from FrenchPressCoffee.com).

We start with an important fact for the many people who want more or less caffeine:

There is no association between caffeine levels and flavor (e.g. strong coffee). The major difference comes from amount of coffee used and, most importantly, the brewing technique.

Cold brew has the most caffeine, followed by drip coffee and espresso.

Take this fun coffee trivia quiz.

Here are more fun facts from THE NIBBLE and BeFrugal.com.

 
Facts About Decaf

 
Here are more decaf coffee facts.

Got Beer? April 7th is National Beer Day, one of many National Beer Holidays. In modern times, it all began on April 7, 1933. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which legalized the sale of beer with an alcohol content of 3.2%. This was the first step toward the end of Prohibition*.

On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment, which was ratified on January 16, 1919. Imagine 13 years with no legal alcohol sales!

On January 16, 1919, the amendment was ratified as a part of the Constitution‡.

As important as these dates are, the following 32 dates give you “official” reasons to celebrate with a beer. Invite your friends!
 
 
BEER HOLIDAYS

Beer lovers can plan an entire year of beer celebrations on these days. We’re not listing January 1st, National Hangover Day, as one of them.

 
 
There are also local beer events. Check to see what’s happening in your state!
 
 
MORE TO DISCOVER

> The different types of beer.

> The history of beer.

> What are hops?
 
 
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*Not an official beer holiday, but hey!

†This day celebrates Orval Trappist Ale, and each year, the importer of the beer will make a donation to a charity based on its U.S. sales.

‡On Feb. 20, 1933, Congress proposed the Twenty-first Amendment, aimed at rescinding prohibition, and in April Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which amended the prohibition-based Volstead Act to permit the manufacturing and sale of low-alcohol beer and wines. Ratification of the amendment was completed on Dec. 5, 1933.

[1] Baltic Porter. January 18th is Baltic Porter Day (photo © Chuckanut Brewery And Kitchen).

[2] February is Stout Month. Guinness is the world’s most famous stout (© ).

[3] Abyss, a Bourbon barrel aged stout (photo © Deschutes Brewery).

[4] IPA in a Spielgau IPA glass specially designed to enhance its hoppy flavor and aroma. The glass is available at Kegworks (photo © Kegworks).

[5] Saison beer. All saisons are farmhouse ales, but not all farmhouse ales are saisons. More about it (photo © Beer Connoisseur).

[2] Another popular fall combination: endive, pear, and maple-candied walnuts (photo © Barrel and Ashes [permanently closed]).

For inspiration, check the websites of salad cafes like Fresh & Co., Just Salad and Sweetgreen

At Just Salad, the fall menu includes:

 
At Sweetgreen, a fall highlight is:

 
Other favorite fall ingredients:

 
In addition to Recipe #1, Fall Salad, there’s a fall cheese course recipe below, along with a recipe for lime-flavored salt.
 
 
RECIPE #1: FALL SALAD WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS & SQUASH

Here’s another yummy idea from Sweetgreen: the Chicken + Brussels salad with roasted brussels sprouts, chopped romaine, mesclun, roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and cranberry vinaigrette.

You can serve it with or without the protein, the former as a lunch salad, the latter as a side salad with dinner.

We didn’t have cranberry vinegar, so used pear balsamic vinegar—another fall touch (so is fig balsamic vinegar).
 
Ingredients

FLAVORED BALSAMIC VINEGAR

If you like balsamic vinegar, try flavored balsamics. They add sweetness without significant calories.

Here’s a sampler of organic balsamic vinegars in fig, pear, pomegranate and raspberry; and another sampler of apple cinnamon, blood orange, mango and pomegranate balsamics (not organic).
 

Turn your salad course into a cheese course with the addition of…cheese. In France, a salad with cheese is a popular follow-up to the main dish.

This one, from the Oyster Club in Mystic, Connecticut, is perfect for fall, with a delicious balance of flavors. Bloomy-rinded cheeses can have a subtle mushroomy undertone: perfect for fall.

Just roast the vegetables, toast the nuts, make the vinaigrette (olive oil and lime juice), and assemble the plate (see photo #3).

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
If you’re not a fan of bloomy rind cheeses, any hearty cheese is fall-appropriate: aged cheddar, blue cheeses, Comte, real Swiss cheeses, washed rind cheeses.

Much as we love them, leave the fresh goat cheeses for spring.

Check out the different types of cheeses in our Cheese Glossary.
 
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*Bloomy rind cheeses have soft, often fuzzy, edible rinds that are a result of the introduction of molds like Penicillium candidum. They are known for the white color and mushroomy flavor of the rind. The two best-known examples are Brie, Camembert, and triple-crèmes. Bloomy rind cheeses are generally aged for two weeks, which produces a mild flavor and subtle aroma.

With a triple crème, the cream is added to the milk to create the richest, most buttery group of cheeses. Triple crèmes are a type of bloomy rind cheese and also are aged for about two weeks. In order to qualify as a triple-créme, the cheeses must have more than 72% butterfat content, which provides a smooth texture. As with other cheeses that have short aging periods, the flavors are mild and the aromas are subtle. Examples include Brillat-Savarin, Explorateur, and St. André. This group of cheeses pairs well with Champagne and other sparkling wines.
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RECIPE #3: LIME SEA SALT

It’s easy to make flavored sea salt at home. This recipe is from TheThingsILove.com.

While you can buy lime sea salt, it lacks the fresh lime zest which adds a punch of flavor and color.

If it seems like too much work for just a sprinkle: Lime sea salt is a terrific Margarita glass rimmer, a real step up!
 
Ingredients

[3] A fall cheese plate (photo © Oyster Club).

[4] Bloomy-rind cheeses (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[5] Lime sea salt (photo © These Things I Love).

1. PREHEAT the oven to 200°F. Combine the sea salt, lime juice, and zest in a small bowl. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

2. BAKE for 15-20 minutes, until the salt looks dry but not brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. BREAK up any clumps that may have formed. Store in an airtight container.

4. SPRINKLE a bit on the plate as a colorful element.
 
 

[1] Roast chicken with grapes, recipe below (photos #1 and #3 courtesy Good Eggs). [2] Asian chicken salad with grapes, showing how a pop of color from red or purple grapes would have given the dish more eye appeal (photo courtesy California Table Grape Commission). [3]Use red grapes to add color, green grapes to pop in darker dishes, or a mix.

But how about savory dishes? Versatile grapes fit easily into everything from roast duck to risotto.

In addition to snacking, cheese, and fruit kabobs, consider:

Sandwiches, sliced onto everything from grilled cheese to chicken salad to bagels and cream cheese

 
For Dessert

 
For Cocktails

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Salt and pepper each side of the chicken and set aside.

2. ADD 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of a deep rectangular roasting dish; swirl it to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Arrange the potatoes in a layer, slightly overlapping just the edges. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.

3. TOSS the grapes, olives, shallots and rosemary in a bowl with a few pinches of salt. Pour over the potatoes and spread the grapes into a single layer.

4. PLACE the chicken on top of the grapes, leaving a few inches of space between each piece of chicken.

5. BAKE for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring the grape mixture occasionally. If anything starts to brown too much, cover the dish with foil. The chicken is done when you insert a knife and the juices run clear. Eat immediately—although this one is great the next day for lunch too …
 
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*We use a terrific, super-thick and chunky blue cheese dressing from Kathryn’s Cottage. You can use another blue cheese dressing and mix it with regular or whipped cream cheese for the desired consistency, or make your own from scratch.

RECIPE #2: PAN SAUCE WITH GRAPES

Use this sauce with braised, pan-fried or roasted chicken, duck, fish, pork or scallops. Just deglaze the pan and add the grapes.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. REMOVE the cooked protein and add the grapes, wine and rosemary to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the skillet to incorporate the fond (the browned bits that stick to the pan). Boil until syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. ADD the chicken broth and any juices that have drained from the meat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, another 3 to 4 minutes.

3. REDUCE the heat to low and add the butter; swirl it in the pan until melted. It’s ready to serve, over or under the meat.
 
RECIPE #3: ROASTED GRAPES AS A SIDE & DESSERT

This tasty dish can be a side or topping with roasted or grilled fish, meat and poultry. Also use roasted grapes in fruit salad, as a dessert topping, or as the dessert itself, topped with a dab of mascarpone.

You can also make an easy grape tart or tartlets.
 
Ingredients

[4] Use roasted or pickled grapes as a garnish for fish (photo courtesy California Table Grape Commission). [5] It’s easy to roast grapes. Just try not to eat them all before serving time! Photo courtesy Alexandra Cooks; here’s how she uses them on crostini).

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 475°F a rack in the center of the oven and heat.

2. TOSS the grape clusters with the honey, the olive oil, zest and salt. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast, turning halfway through, until they collapse and are somewhat caramelized, about 15 minutes.

4. SERVE the roasted grapes warm for mains, warm or room temperature for desserts. , with a dollop of the sweetened mascarpone.
 
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†You can use another spirit that complements the protein. For dessert, consider a complementary liqueur (orange, raspberry, etc.).
  

[2] These carrot pancakes, with salted yogurt, are gluten free. Here’s therecipe from Jessica Koslow at Bon Appetit (photo © Bon Appetit | Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott).

[3] You don’t need to use wheat. Check out these flours (photo courtesy ).

September 26th is National Pancake Day. Normally, we’d make our favorite: buttermilk pancakes topped with smoked salmon, crème fraîche and chopped dill.

We’d love them with a topping caviar: We’ll have that daily when our ship comes in.

But until then, we’re not highbrow: Another favorite is chocolate pancakes with chocolate chips, topped with bananas and sour cream.)

Today’s tip is: Take a fresh look at pancakes.

Cultures around the world eat pancakes, both sweet and savory. Some have them as a main dish, some enjoy them as street food.

There are so many choices from East to West:

 
Click the links above for the recipes.

And take a look at the different types of pancakes in our Pancake Glossary.

 
SAVORY PANCAKE TEMPLATE: CREATE YOUR OWN

1. SELECT a flour:

 
2. ADD your favorite ingredients:

 
3. PICK your toppings:

 
4. FRY and serve.

We love this article from National Geographic, and recommend it as a short read on the history of pancakes.

Archaeologists have discovered grains on 30,000-year-old grinding tools, suggesting that Stone Age man might have been eating grains mixed with water and cooked on a hot rock.

While the result not have looked like the modern crepe, hotcake, or flapjack, the idea was the same: a flat cake, made from batter and fried.

Ancient Greeks and Romans ate pancakes topped with honey, and a Greek reference mentions toppings of cheese and sesame as well.

These foods were not called pancakes, but the first mention of “pancake” in an English dictionary dates to the 16th century: a cake made in a pan.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “Flat as a pancake” has been a catchphrase since at least 1611.

For the rest of the pancake’s journey to modern times, head to National Geographic.