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How to Make Coffee in an Old Fashioned
Non-Electric Stove top Coffee Percolator
Excellent recipe for an extra special cup of coffee at the end!
How to use a stove top coffee percolator video above, and
written instructions below
Old-fashioned, non electric, stove top coffee percolators produce excellent coffee.
Because they are non electric, they are especially favored and
commonly used in Amish kitchens. Most of my Amish friends have one.
They are perfect for use over a gas range or even a
wood stove - as long as the water gets hot enough to perk.
At Quaker Farm, we enjoy the rich taste of carefully perked
coffee made in our stainless steel, stove-top non-electric
percolator. I brew it fresh every morning.
Let us look at all of the parts of a non-electric, stove-top coffee percolator.
A stove-top percolator has five parts.
First, there is the percolator coffee pot.
Then, there is the stem, a hollow metal tube that fits into the bottom of the pot.
Next, there is the filter basket, which slides onto the tube. This is where you put the ground coffee.
Now, the filter basket cover, a round perforated lid that fits on to the filter basket and allows the water to shower over the entire basket of coffee evenly.
Lastly, there is the coffee pot lid which has a glass bubble in it.
Our little grandchildren love to watch for the moment when the coffee begins
to perk and the water splashes up into the glass bubble! When the coffee first
begins to splash up into the bubble it will be clear, but within moments,
it will color up and become increasingly darker as the water continues to cycle
over and through the grounds.
The key to successfully using a stove-top non-electric percolator is
5 fold and if you observe the following recommendations carefully, excellent coffee should result!
1. You must use excellent coffee ground to the right coarseness. Because I support sustainable living projects, like to use a
nice fair-trade brand of organic coffee and I grind the beans myself just before
perking for the freshest possible taste. A coarse grind is best so that the flavor
can be released slowly over the period of perking time.
2. Use good water. City tap water is not going to produce coffee that tastes quite as good as coffee made from fresh spring water, well water or distilled water.
3. Measure the coffee correctly. You must use the correct amount of coffee for the amount of water you will be using. Generally speaking, I use 1 well rounded Tablespoon of coffee per 8 oz serving.
4. Do not over cook the coffee. It must be perked over a low simmering heat (not a rapid boil) and for the correct amount of time. In The Quaker kitchen, once the coffee begins to perk, I set a timer for 8 minutes and then promptly remove it from the heat once it is done. Then, I store the coffee in a nice thermal coffee carafe which has been filled with hot water and allowed to sit and heat up while the coffee perked. A quality coffee carafe will keep coffee hot for several hours. Don’t ever microwave coffee - microwaving coffee completely ruins the flavor.
5. Keep your percolator scrupulously clean. Clean it after every single use.
Old coffee residue left over in an unwashed percolator contributes to bitter taste,
and is untidy besides. Disassemble and clean all parts of the percolator with warm
soapy water and rinse thoroughly every time you use it. And remember, cleanliness is
next to Godliness after all!
Once the coffee is ready, serve it with raw goat milk and real maple syrup. It is
absolutely delicious!
"The Lord bless thee and keep thee...."
- Numbers 6:24
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