This amazing little appliance looks like a coffee-maker but let me tell you it's more than that!!!! I don't drink coffee...I'm LDS so it's something we've been counseled to exclude from our diet. However that doesn't mean I don't like a nice hot cup of ... well, SOMETHING WONDERFUL in the morning! Enter the wonderful world of Crio Bru ... if you're not familiar with it just click the link and read all about what is the most wonderful morning indulgence in the world..... Brewed cocoa beans.
Now, if you read the directions, or have good friends who've shared their crio bru knowledge you know you make it with about 15 minutes of time, some boiling water and a french press. Perfect.....I thought.
Even though it was wonderful I kept thinking it should be richer, darker, more robust in flavor....and I wasn't thrilled about the way it cooled off by the time I drank it. It just took so long to brew in the french press.
SO.....I wondered how a percolator would do....I bought the model above for just over $10 on Amazon which was pretty cheap for an experiment and the minute I got it I made a pot. First of all it takes only about 6 tablespoons to brew a whole pot (8 cups in this model)...that's about half of what it would take in the press. Second you can brew it as long as you like to get the perfect strength for you.
One other benefit I've found is that the longer brewing time not only makes a darker chocolate but it releases ALOT of the cocoa butter from the ground beans which means it tastes so much richer. I like to brew the ground beans for about 20 minutes...that seems to produce an optimum dark, rich flavor. Once brewed I just transfer it to the refrigerator in a glass carafe and heat by the cupful in the microwave.
Trust me on this....totally worth the price of a percolator and you'll never go back to the slow, weak, french press beverage of the past! Enjoy!
