It was not very long ago that the majority of buttons had a shiny, iridescent quality. In fact, take a look at shirts and dresses as recent as the 1970's, and you might notice these luminous buttons. They are made of mother-of-pearl, which is the inner shell layer of certain mollusks, and is made out of nacre - the same stuff that pearls are made of. Before the late 1800's, buttons were predominately an import item in the United States. That is, until John Frederick Boepple came along.
Born into a German button-making factory, Boepple honed his craft and expertise in Germany and Austria until 1887, when he reached a big turning point in his life. Prior to that time in 1887, stiffer and stiffer tariffs were being placed on imported material. Since Boepple used predominately imported shells and horns to make his buttons, this hurt his business very badly. To make matters worse, his wife died suddenly. With nothing left to live for, Boepple headed straight to the one place that he knew beautiful shells were abundant and untapped - the Mississippi River in the United States.
He had a hard road ahead. He had no friends or contacts in the U.S. and he spoke no English. He was focused on the task at hand, however, and even while he performed odd jobs for farmers and business owners in Illinois, he learned enough English to get around, and started collecting odds and ends of old machinery to start constructing a lathe with which to make buttons.
Lucky for Boepple, the MicKinley Tariff of 1890 echoed the stiff import tariffs that had been imposed just a few years earlier in Europe. Until this McKinley Tariff, people had been importing buttons from Europe. For the dual reason that the button industry was suffering in Europe because of the unavailability of inexpensive materials and the fact that it became even more expensive in the U.S. to order the already scant amount of buttons available in Europe, the U.S. was ripe for its own button industry.
Boepple realized he needed to strike while the iron was hot, and promptly moved to Muscatine, Iowa, where the Mississippi River had many thick-shelled mollusks for a fledgling button-maker. He built himself the best equipment he could muster out of the odds and ends he had collected, and started making buttons. He was very good at it, and word got around that mother-of-pearl buttons could be gotten in the U.S. and for a reasonable price.
Two investors, I.A. Kerr and William Molis, took an interest in Boepple's tiny business, and bolstered him enough to create the very first freshwater pearl button factory in the U.S. and even the world, as European button-makers did not make the buttons in factories. Unfortunately for Boepple, Kerr and Molis did not understand the delicacy required of working with mother-of-pearl, and purchased equipment ill-suited to the process. They were anxious to mass-produce the buttons, which Boepple saw basically as works of art. The alliance soon crumbled, and while Kerr and Molis's factory stayed open and produced buttons, Boepple made buttons out of his home, and opened a new factory that ran the way he wanted it to.
Muscatine thrived with this new business, and by 1905 produced more than 30% of all the buttons in the world at that time. By 1897 there were 53 button companies in Muscatine alone, not to mention the many other button factories along the Mississippi River. It wasn't very long before someone figured out a good way to automate the creation of mother-of-pearl buttons, thus making Boepple's old-world craftmanship (and the time it took to make a button) obsolete.
Boepple stopped making buttons, and concentrated on a freelance business that bought shells for other button companies. He soon realized that the quality of shells had diminished, and was dismayed to find out that this "button boom" had depleted the Mississippi River's natural supply of mussels. He went to work for the Fairport Biological Station, which was an initiative founded by Congress in 1908 to find out how to propagate mussels for this lucrative American industry.
Boepple modified the tool used most frequently to catch mussels - making it so it spared the younger mussels to allow them to grow bigger and multiply. While he was performing the duties associated with this job, he cut his fot on a broken mussel shell. Just a few months later, he died of blood poisoning in a Muscatine hospital.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
A Moral Question of Some Import
I am a passionate believer in limited government because I believe a small subset of people, no matter how intelligent, dedicated and well-intentioned, can never sustainably possess and exercise a level of wisdom that is superior to the collective wisdom of the entire population. In all forms of government prevalent in the world today, those "in the government" comprise a relatively small subset of the population. Aside from the improbability of the people in the government having better than average intellect, a far bigger impediment is simply the limitation of time. The most brilliant geniuses on earth still have the same 24 hours in a day available to them as the most consummate dunces in the world.
The world is increasingly too complex to lend itself to decent "management" by the smarts of the few, no matter how smart in their specific areas of specialization. So in regard to the desirability of limited government I subscribe to the conservative viewpoint that is embodied, and so assiduously codified, in the Constitution of the United States.
That said, I am confronted with another societal challenge that cuts at the heart of fundamental differences between conservative and liberal (to use contemporary monikers to denote certain familiar viewpoints and attitudes) orthodoxies that have lately developed.
One cannot, in all honesty, deny the empirical evidence that the Creator, if you believe in one, or nature, if you will, does not endow all human beings with identical intellectual ability. This is purely a clinical observation devoid of any value judgment. I believe intellect is but only one human endowment and achievement; it is certainly not the essence of our spirituality and humanity.
Now, those with superior intellect cannot claim that the entirety of their superiority in intellectual prowess is attributable solely to their volitional strivings, behaviors and diligence. Superior achievement of any kind no doubt requires a lot of personal and volitional effort and perseverance, but a significant part is played by the genetic apparatus and environmental factors that are not of one's own choosing. In other words, accidents of nature and luck play a significant part. One thus comes face to face with a fundamental question:
Do the people with superior intellect have any moral obligation to develop solutions to common problems that will benefit the whole society? The key question here is about a moral obligation, not about whether some people would do so as a natural bye-product of pursuing self-interest. Think about it. A lot depends on the way you answer this question for yourself.
The world is increasingly too complex to lend itself to decent "management" by the smarts of the few, no matter how smart in their specific areas of specialization. So in regard to the desirability of limited government I subscribe to the conservative viewpoint that is embodied, and so assiduously codified, in the Constitution of the United States.
That said, I am confronted with another societal challenge that cuts at the heart of fundamental differences between conservative and liberal (to use contemporary monikers to denote certain familiar viewpoints and attitudes) orthodoxies that have lately developed.
One cannot, in all honesty, deny the empirical evidence that the Creator, if you believe in one, or nature, if you will, does not endow all human beings with identical intellectual ability. This is purely a clinical observation devoid of any value judgment. I believe intellect is but only one human endowment and achievement; it is certainly not the essence of our spirituality and humanity.
Now, those with superior intellect cannot claim that the entirety of their superiority in intellectual prowess is attributable solely to their volitional strivings, behaviors and diligence. Superior achievement of any kind no doubt requires a lot of personal and volitional effort and perseverance, but a significant part is played by the genetic apparatus and environmental factors that are not of one's own choosing. In other words, accidents of nature and luck play a significant part. One thus comes face to face with a fundamental question:
Do the people with superior intellect have any moral obligation to develop solutions to common problems that will benefit the whole society? The key question here is about a moral obligation, not about whether some people would do so as a natural bye-product of pursuing self-interest. Think about it. A lot depends on the way you answer this question for yourself.
Foreign Business In The US And What About Europe?
I have been asked many times about how does one do a foreign business in the USA. Well other than the original inhabitants of the USA everyone there at one time or another was a foreigner! The first thing which amazed me when i opened a business in the US was how easy it was. For starters for my social security number all i had to do was go to one of their post offices and it was completed in twenty minutes.
The land of the free is just that, free enterprise rules in the US. It welcomes direct foreign investment and business enterprises, who ever you are. Foreign investors are able to organize their business activities in the United States in a number of various ways.
However there are various factors to consider and you need to be organised. Your particular business venture depends on a number of legal and tax considerations and making sure you have professional to fill out the required paperwork. However even with the paper mountain you may have to fill in foreign business in the USA is welcomed.
Well, what about Europe? Europe took note of the US example on doing free trade as trade in Europe at one time had so many restrictions and barriers that businesses gave up trying to meet the various criteria of the various nations. One of the reasons the EU (European community) was formulated was because of the free enterprise example of the USA. European business school and the best international business colleges regularly teach the USA trade model. International trade logistics can be a nightmare once governments start to organize them!
A foreign business can enter the US market by selling goods or services to non related US buyers. An example is online foreign currency buying. Once your business has developed you can go on to appoint US-based agent or distributor to market its goods or services in the United States. This can be done in a number of ways. While developing your foreign business, it will be important to develop credibility when it come to your business credit rating in the USA.
One great vehicle for developing your business is via USA business directories and trade shows. You can develop various trade show promotional items and trade show giveaways to further promote your business enterprise.
This initial start via agents may lead you to a direct presence in the United States. This will obviously be dictated by prudent business planning on your or your advisors part. Once again always remain open to the direction you want your business interests to take i.e. deciding to establish a direct presence in the United States, a foreign business should then determine whether to conduct business independently or in partnership with a US firm.
International trade logistics can be broadly termed as exchange of goods and services between two countries or across two international boundaries. For example Britons were trading with the Romans long before Rome established itself there for a few centuries. Foreign trade between nations existed from ancient times and will continue as long as the human race are here. It has a great affect on society, some say good and some say bad. Anyway long may it continue.
The land of the free is just that, free enterprise rules in the US. It welcomes direct foreign investment and business enterprises, who ever you are. Foreign investors are able to organize their business activities in the United States in a number of various ways.
However there are various factors to consider and you need to be organised. Your particular business venture depends on a number of legal and tax considerations and making sure you have professional to fill out the required paperwork. However even with the paper mountain you may have to fill in foreign business in the USA is welcomed.
Well, what about Europe? Europe took note of the US example on doing free trade as trade in Europe at one time had so many restrictions and barriers that businesses gave up trying to meet the various criteria of the various nations. One of the reasons the EU (European community) was formulated was because of the free enterprise example of the USA. European business school and the best international business colleges regularly teach the USA trade model. International trade logistics can be a nightmare once governments start to organize them!
A foreign business can enter the US market by selling goods or services to non related US buyers. An example is online foreign currency buying. Once your business has developed you can go on to appoint US-based agent or distributor to market its goods or services in the United States. This can be done in a number of ways. While developing your foreign business, it will be important to develop credibility when it come to your business credit rating in the USA.
One great vehicle for developing your business is via USA business directories and trade shows. You can develop various trade show promotional items and trade show giveaways to further promote your business enterprise.
This initial start via agents may lead you to a direct presence in the United States. This will obviously be dictated by prudent business planning on your or your advisors part. Once again always remain open to the direction you want your business interests to take i.e. deciding to establish a direct presence in the United States, a foreign business should then determine whether to conduct business independently or in partnership with a US firm.
International trade logistics can be broadly termed as exchange of goods and services between two countries or across two international boundaries. For example Britons were trading with the Romans long before Rome established itself there for a few centuries. Foreign trade between nations existed from ancient times and will continue as long as the human race are here. It has a great affect on society, some say good and some say bad. Anyway long may it continue.
Reliable Export Service Overseas
In this modern age of just in time manufacturing and retail supply practices, having a reliable shipping and export service on your team is vitally important. This is especially true when dealing with the international marketplace. If pallets of goods are missing, held up by customs, or otherwise delayed, it can represent thousands, if not millions, of dollars in lost revenues and productivity.
For this reason, when shipping to Europe and Russia, export service that is reliable and trustworthy should be a top priority. You will want to make sure that you can track your goods from door to door, and that your shipping partner has all of the right endorsements and licensing to smoothly move your goods through transit authority gateways.
First, the issue of endorsements and certification. The United States has some of the most strigent shipping requirements for inspections, load tracking, and bills of lading thanks to their security responses to the September 11th attacks. Thus, any company licensed by the United States Federal Maritime Commission will be able to partner effectively with other leading shipping commissions to smoothly manage Europe or Russia export and import needs. You should look for this endorsement when selecting your shipping and logistics partner to avoid problems.
Next, there is the issue of tracking your Europe and Russia export goods. This issue was brought to the forefront in the recent volcanic ash incident, as those companies who could pinpoint the location of their goods were best able to work around the disruption. You should therefore not partner with any firm for Europe and Russia export services who can't give you door to door tracking, as this places you at a competitive disadvantage.
With tracking like this and the right levels of port clearance for container movements, you should be able to manage your Europe and Russia export service needs effectively enough to ensure that you get the goods that you need at just the right moment. This will ensure that the wheels of production and product dispersement turn smoothly in your internal network, and that your just in time systems are not disrupted.
Not every Europe and Russia export service can deliver on their promises. Look for a firm that has the right licensing, such as that of the Federal Maritime Commission, and a firm that offers point to point tracking. This will ensure that you have a trustworthy and reliable partner meeting all of your export service needs.
For this reason, when shipping to Europe and Russia, export service that is reliable and trustworthy should be a top priority. You will want to make sure that you can track your goods from door to door, and that your shipping partner has all of the right endorsements and licensing to smoothly move your goods through transit authority gateways.
First, the issue of endorsements and certification. The United States has some of the most strigent shipping requirements for inspections, load tracking, and bills of lading thanks to their security responses to the September 11th attacks. Thus, any company licensed by the United States Federal Maritime Commission will be able to partner effectively with other leading shipping commissions to smoothly manage Europe or Russia export and import needs. You should look for this endorsement when selecting your shipping and logistics partner to avoid problems.
Next, there is the issue of tracking your Europe and Russia export goods. This issue was brought to the forefront in the recent volcanic ash incident, as those companies who could pinpoint the location of their goods were best able to work around the disruption. You should therefore not partner with any firm for Europe and Russia export services who can't give you door to door tracking, as this places you at a competitive disadvantage.
With tracking like this and the right levels of port clearance for container movements, you should be able to manage your Europe and Russia export service needs effectively enough to ensure that you get the goods that you need at just the right moment. This will ensure that the wheels of production and product dispersement turn smoothly in your internal network, and that your just in time systems are not disrupted.
Not every Europe and Russia export service can deliver on their promises. Look for a firm that has the right licensing, such as that of the Federal Maritime Commission, and a firm that offers point to point tracking. This will ensure that you have a trustworthy and reliable partner meeting all of your export service needs.
European Groupage - Cost Effective Transportation Within Europe For Less Than Full Load Consignments
Europe has one of the most sophisticated networks of groupage services anywhere in the world. Even the recession has not reduced the appetite of new players to enter the market.
The freight forwarding and haulage industries provide the market with an impressive choice of groupage services between all the main commercial centres of Europe. In many cases three tier services are on offer ranging from express overnight delivery, 48 hour delivery and economy delivery for customers where price is the overriding factor.
The type of players operating the services also reflects the structure of the industry. Multi-national companies have put together vast networks in every European country based on both organic growth and the acquisition of other businesses. At the other end of the scale are operators specializing in either niche markets or niche commodities where personal service and knowledge of a customer's individual requirements are paramount.
Road freight is the predominant means of transport for European groupage services. The flexibility of the road vehicle to effect door to door distribution has resulted in the elimination of rail from this particular market although environmental considerations are leading to a revival for the depot-depot haul. The construction of the Channel Tunnel has also meant that many groupage operations carried out by air have know switched to road transport.
To ensure a level regulatory playing field for both customers and operators all European groupage transport is conducted in accordance with the CMR Convention which sets out the rights and liabilities of all parties. This Convention was introduced in the 1960's but its text, together with many court judgments relating to specific cases, means that it continues to be relevant in today's market place.
The freight forwarding and haulage industries provide the market with an impressive choice of groupage services between all the main commercial centres of Europe. In many cases three tier services are on offer ranging from express overnight delivery, 48 hour delivery and economy delivery for customers where price is the overriding factor.
The type of players operating the services also reflects the structure of the industry. Multi-national companies have put together vast networks in every European country based on both organic growth and the acquisition of other businesses. At the other end of the scale are operators specializing in either niche markets or niche commodities where personal service and knowledge of a customer's individual requirements are paramount.
Road freight is the predominant means of transport for European groupage services. The flexibility of the road vehicle to effect door to door distribution has resulted in the elimination of rail from this particular market although environmental considerations are leading to a revival for the depot-depot haul. The construction of the Channel Tunnel has also meant that many groupage operations carried out by air have know switched to road transport.
To ensure a level regulatory playing field for both customers and operators all European groupage transport is conducted in accordance with the CMR Convention which sets out the rights and liabilities of all parties. This Convention was introduced in the 1960's but its text, together with many court judgments relating to specific cases, means that it continues to be relevant in today's market place.
Cuba Is One Of Five Healthiest Countries in the World
"Healthy countries" is not the most popular information subject for mass media. Newspapers usually write about viruses, diseases or epidemics threatening the whole region at once. The American magazine "Foreign Policy" has published the rating of the five healthiest countries and explained its choice.
Japan
On the whole, the Japanese live longer than representatives of other nations - their average lifetime makes up 86 years. The secret of the Japanese health consists in bodily exercise and food products with a low content of cholesterol. The Japanese diet includes fish, rice and sea-weed which lower the risk of heart diseases and cancer.
Fitness clubs have come in fashion in Japan. Sound health of several generations of this nation is maintained and improved due to a special state program which provides exercising before and during the workday. This program is financed by the Government.
The biggest Japanese mobile operator already offers "Fitness Phone", a service of measuring daily physical exercise, to lovers of the advanced technologies.
Nowadays, population health is threatened by the "western" food with its traditionally high content of fat: 7 million of the Japanese are suffering from diabetes, which spreads in Asia quicker that in other parts of the world.
France
France has the lowest rate of heart diseases which are considered the main reason of mortality. Specialists explain this fact by slow eating and daily consumption of a glass of wine. The French cuisine is traditionally rich in fats and carbohydrates, but it is eaten slowly, a little at a time and washed down with a moderate amount of wine.
It is worth mentioning that in 2002 the World Health Organization declared France the healthiest country of the European Union. Despite the fact that many of the French die of cancer and other severe diseases, the average lifetime in France makes up 75 years for men and 83 years for women, and goes on increasing.
Nowadays, obesity is declared a major problem, and a high rate of mortality caused by cancer and cardiovascular diseases is registered in France. The leadership of this country concerning the low rate of cardiovascular diseases is running the risk of becoming a negative leadership.
Iceland
Iceland has the lowest child mortality rate and the best antenatal care in the world. Figures speak for themselves: 2 deaths of children under five per one thousand of newborns. In the USA this rate makes up 7 children.
The Icelandic Government pays for a wide range of services of mother and child medical care. Besides, it assures maintenance of 80 per cent of the mother's salary during three months.
However, nowadays the Icelandic population also suffers from obesity. The country annually consumes an enormous amount of sugar per capita, mainly due to an exaggerated passion for carbonated beverages.
Sweden
Sweden may boast of the highest probability of survival in case of a cancer disease, as well as of an almost 100% rate of child immunization.
Almost 14% of the state expenses go to healthcare and make up 85% of expenses on medical care. Besides, the 9-million population is served in modern hospitals and clinics equipped with the latest medical equipment.
The Swedes believe that a comprehensive social assistance which provides everything from professional development support to street illumination lowers the population sickness rate.
There still is a problem of queuing: the Swedes have to wait for reception and operations. The attempts to transfer small medical institutions to private ownership do not result in any evident progress.
Cuba
The island of freedom may rightly be proud of a low child mortality rate and a medium lifetime. The rate of six doctors per one thousand of Cubans is the highest rate in the world.
According to the experts, a big number of doctors cannot guarantee the population health, however, in Cuba it contributes to efficiency of measures on disease prevention. Thousands of Cuban doctors annually go abroad on study tours. Due to professionalism and the state support of healthcare Cuba achieves results even Europe may be envious of.
On the other hand, the focus on prevention and early diagnosis leads to the lack of drugs in the country. Besides, it is expected that openness of the Cuban society and increase in purchasing capacity of big layers of population shall stimulate the "import" of European and American diseases connected with dieting and food.
It is also worth mentioning that according to the Public Organization "March of Dimes" the healthiest countries from the genetic point of view are France, Austria, Australia, Switzerland and Russia.
Japan
On the whole, the Japanese live longer than representatives of other nations - their average lifetime makes up 86 years. The secret of the Japanese health consists in bodily exercise and food products with a low content of cholesterol. The Japanese diet includes fish, rice and sea-weed which lower the risk of heart diseases and cancer.
Fitness clubs have come in fashion in Japan. Sound health of several generations of this nation is maintained and improved due to a special state program which provides exercising before and during the workday. This program is financed by the Government.
The biggest Japanese mobile operator already offers "Fitness Phone", a service of measuring daily physical exercise, to lovers of the advanced technologies.
Nowadays, population health is threatened by the "western" food with its traditionally high content of fat: 7 million of the Japanese are suffering from diabetes, which spreads in Asia quicker that in other parts of the world.
France
France has the lowest rate of heart diseases which are considered the main reason of mortality. Specialists explain this fact by slow eating and daily consumption of a glass of wine. The French cuisine is traditionally rich in fats and carbohydrates, but it is eaten slowly, a little at a time and washed down with a moderate amount of wine.
It is worth mentioning that in 2002 the World Health Organization declared France the healthiest country of the European Union. Despite the fact that many of the French die of cancer and other severe diseases, the average lifetime in France makes up 75 years for men and 83 years for women, and goes on increasing.
Nowadays, obesity is declared a major problem, and a high rate of mortality caused by cancer and cardiovascular diseases is registered in France. The leadership of this country concerning the low rate of cardiovascular diseases is running the risk of becoming a negative leadership.
Iceland
Iceland has the lowest child mortality rate and the best antenatal care in the world. Figures speak for themselves: 2 deaths of children under five per one thousand of newborns. In the USA this rate makes up 7 children.
The Icelandic Government pays for a wide range of services of mother and child medical care. Besides, it assures maintenance of 80 per cent of the mother's salary during three months.
However, nowadays the Icelandic population also suffers from obesity. The country annually consumes an enormous amount of sugar per capita, mainly due to an exaggerated passion for carbonated beverages.
Sweden
Sweden may boast of the highest probability of survival in case of a cancer disease, as well as of an almost 100% rate of child immunization.
Almost 14% of the state expenses go to healthcare and make up 85% of expenses on medical care. Besides, the 9-million population is served in modern hospitals and clinics equipped with the latest medical equipment.
The Swedes believe that a comprehensive social assistance which provides everything from professional development support to street illumination lowers the population sickness rate.
There still is a problem of queuing: the Swedes have to wait for reception and operations. The attempts to transfer small medical institutions to private ownership do not result in any evident progress.
Cuba
The island of freedom may rightly be proud of a low child mortality rate and a medium lifetime. The rate of six doctors per one thousand of Cubans is the highest rate in the world.
According to the experts, a big number of doctors cannot guarantee the population health, however, in Cuba it contributes to efficiency of measures on disease prevention. Thousands of Cuban doctors annually go abroad on study tours. Due to professionalism and the state support of healthcare Cuba achieves results even Europe may be envious of.
On the other hand, the focus on prevention and early diagnosis leads to the lack of drugs in the country. Besides, it is expected that openness of the Cuban society and increase in purchasing capacity of big layers of population shall stimulate the "import" of European and American diseases connected with dieting and food.
It is also worth mentioning that according to the Public Organization "March of Dimes" the healthiest countries from the genetic point of view are France, Austria, Australia, Switzerland and Russia.
French Press Coffee is a Little Known Treasure Outside of Europe
For most of my life I was raised drinking coffee that was made through a coffee maker that passed hot water through a filter. I had no idea how much taste I was sacrificing and how much better my coffee could taste. For all I knew, the filtered coffee was the best that I could get and I was happy with it anyway. Until recently, when I decided to branch out and try something new, was I able to truly experience my morning coffee and really taste my coffee for the first time.
The main difference is that with French press coffee, the coffee grounds are allowed to infuse in the hot water and then are "pressed" to the bottom. The coffee drink never passes through a paper or mesh filter at all. This makes a profound difference to the taste of what you are drinking. Now when I buy different types of roasts of coffee beans I can really taste the distinction between the tastes. If you have any doubts then I encourage anyone to try this for themselves.
I was excited when I went to buy my first coffee press. I decided on a simple 8 cup press that was created by Bodum. There are lots of companies out there that make French presses, but this particular press suited my needs just fine. In retrospective, I think the only different decision I would have made is to get a stainless steel insulated press so the coffee would stay warmer a little longer. After the coffee has brewed, it generally stays warm for about 40 to 45 minutes in a regular French coffee press. Stainless steel presses can keep coffee hot for up to 2 hours.
After getting my first coffee press home, and doing some minimal searching on the net for instructions on how to use it, I gave it a shot. I ground up my coffee beans in a coarse grind, added the hot water, let it brew for 4 minutes, and that's that. Other than the taste, the other noticeable difference is the sediment in the bottom of your cup of coffee. It is very minimal, and I think it actually increases the taste in a positive way.
One of the most interesting things to me is that the coffee press is not well known outside of Europe. When I try to describe my coffee press to my friends and family here in America, they look at me like I am crazy. They look at me like that, until they try the coffee that I prepared in my French press! It is so much fun to watch their opinions change rapidly. I don't know exactly why the French press hasn't caught on here in the U.S.A., but I do know that it might very soon, especially with the eco-friendly movement. The French press does not require any electricity to run. I heat my water on a gas powered stove and the coffee press doesn't plug in to anything. I hope everyone will at least try to have some coffee from a coffee press at least one time in their lives. I know that is all it would take and they would want to just go buy one for themselves!
The main difference is that with French press coffee, the coffee grounds are allowed to infuse in the hot water and then are "pressed" to the bottom. The coffee drink never passes through a paper or mesh filter at all. This makes a profound difference to the taste of what you are drinking. Now when I buy different types of roasts of coffee beans I can really taste the distinction between the tastes. If you have any doubts then I encourage anyone to try this for themselves.
I was excited when I went to buy my first coffee press. I decided on a simple 8 cup press that was created by Bodum. There are lots of companies out there that make French presses, but this particular press suited my needs just fine. In retrospective, I think the only different decision I would have made is to get a stainless steel insulated press so the coffee would stay warmer a little longer. After the coffee has brewed, it generally stays warm for about 40 to 45 minutes in a regular French coffee press. Stainless steel presses can keep coffee hot for up to 2 hours.
After getting my first coffee press home, and doing some minimal searching on the net for instructions on how to use it, I gave it a shot. I ground up my coffee beans in a coarse grind, added the hot water, let it brew for 4 minutes, and that's that. Other than the taste, the other noticeable difference is the sediment in the bottom of your cup of coffee. It is very minimal, and I think it actually increases the taste in a positive way.
One of the most interesting things to me is that the coffee press is not well known outside of Europe. When I try to describe my coffee press to my friends and family here in America, they look at me like I am crazy. They look at me like that, until they try the coffee that I prepared in my French press! It is so much fun to watch their opinions change rapidly. I don't know exactly why the French press hasn't caught on here in the U.S.A., but I do know that it might very soon, especially with the eco-friendly movement. The French press does not require any electricity to run. I heat my water on a gas powered stove and the coffee press doesn't plug in to anything. I hope everyone will at least try to have some coffee from a coffee press at least one time in their lives. I know that is all it would take and they would want to just go buy one for themselves!
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