Tastes Like Vintage: Coffee Brewed Vintage Style 4

Mid century GE electric percolator by Coffeetropolis

What’s better than the first eye opening cup of joe of the morning? Nothing. That was a trick question. But what makes that java jolt even better? Brewing it in a vintage coffee gear: glass percolators for the stove top, electric percolators, drip pots, glass siphons, stove top espresso makers and so many other nifty ways to brew.

Vintage coffee making is fractionally more labor intensive and fractionally slower than the popular machine that starts with a K. We are a bit opinionated on the topic of said modern machine; it brings back the childhood taste memory of the coffee we used to get from the vending machine at the laundromat. You know, the machine that dispensed coffee, hot chocolate and chicken soup. But we are of the Mr. Coffee generation, so the problem is, as much as we love the idea of using a vintage glass percolator, we wouldn’t know where to begin. And that is why we consulted The All New Fanny Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Wilma Lord Perkins (10th edition, 1959).

Vintage French coffee pot by CabArtVintage

In it, Ms. Perkins recommends storing coffee in the refrigerator, in a can or glass jar with a tight lid, turned upside down. For brewing purposes, she suggests two level tablespoons for each cup, but encourages you to experiment and refine your amounts. When washing your coffee maker, she would have you use baking soda as a first choice. She instructs on how to use the various coffee makers, and provides a recipe for the entirely intriguing Boiled Coffee.

Drip. Measure the coffee into the proper section. Set the pot in hot water or on an asbestos mat over low heat. Add fresh boiling water. For the finest flavor, add the water a little at a time, so that it all will drip through slowly.

Vacuum. Measure the water into the lower bowl. Adjust the filter in the upper bowl and fit it in place. Measure the coffee into the upper bowl. Set over moderate heat. When most of the water has risen into the upper bowl and is bubbling hard, reduce the heat. After 4 minutes, turn off the heat and let the coffee drain into the lower bowl.

Percolator. Measure the coffee into the strainer section. Measure either cold or boiling water into the pot. Set over moderate heat or turn on the current. Bring to the boiling point, reduce the heat and percolate gently until the coffee looks dark enough (about 10 minutes). If your electric percolator is not automatic, pull out the plug three times to slow the percolating.

Boiled Coffee

Old timers think that boiled coffee, made with an egg, has the finest flavor of all. Make it strong and boil it long enough (or it will be cloudy) but not too long (or it will be bitter).

Vintage Pyrex glass percolator by NostalgiaBloom

 Heat the coffeepot or saucepan with a tight cover by rinsing with boiling water. Mix in the pot

• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 eggshell, crushed
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup coffee (regular grind)
• Few grains of salt

Pour carefully into cups without straining. It will be crystal clear, since the egg and the coffee grounds stay in the bottom of the pot.