French press

zagmund

Here lads, all this time I've been wondering what is this mysterious 'french press' you all talk about and I eventually decided to google it (or google image it) and I see it's just a cafetiere.

Am I missing something - everywhere but here I see these described as cafetieres and outside of this forum I had never head of a french press. Is there some specific version that makes it a french press ?

Just wondering, like . . .

z

Nevyn

French press seems to be the american term for it, I have seen it refered to that in amierican books.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_press

Nomenclature

The French press goes by various names around the world. In New Zealand, Australia and South Africa the whole apparatus is known as a coffee plunger and coffee brewed in it as plunger coffee. Its French name is cafetière à piston. In French it is also known by its brand names, notably a Bodum or a melior, from an old brand of this type. In the UK, the Netherlands, and Ireland the device is known as a cafetière, the French word for a coffee maker or pot.

Clinker

When you think about it cafetière is a pretty silly name for it: it just means "coffee pot". "French Press" is quite peculiar, but gives a hint at how it works. I often say "plunger pot" (which tells you quite clearly how it works) and everyone knows what I mean: I didn't know that it was current in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately "plunger pot" doesn't seem to be catching on!

zagmund

Yeah, I don't use one these days, but when I did I guess if I was in a shop I would ask them if they had any cafetieres, but if I was offering someone coffee at home I would give them the choice between 'posh coffee' (from the gaggia), 'plungie coffee' from the cafetiere or else instant if they were in a hurry. I wouldn't normally refer to it as a cafetiere - just plungie coffee.

z