281842 Mon Dec 19 15:43:53 -0800 2005 2 31 Home Cooking 0 1500640 I've given up on instant coffee and switched to fresh-brewed, fresh-ground coffee during cold weather. I bought a $4.15 12-cup drip coffee maker from Target and the coffee tastes great. There's one odd design problem with the lip of the pot, though. It dribbles down the side of the pot if it isn't held at precisely the right angle. This isn't much of a problem pouring coffee. I just hold the pot over the sink. It's more of a problem when I have to fill the container with fresh water to heat. I spill water every where. So now I'm looking for a coffee maker that will make a couple of cups at a time that works well. I know French press-style coffee makers make great coffee, maybe the best, but there's a trap with them. You have to buy an expensive coffee grinder to get consistently coarse grinds to work with the press. Inexpensive blade and burr grinders make coffee that makes it through the press and ends up in your coffee, giving you mud. The Black & Decker Brew & Go drip coffee maker looks promising, but I've seen in reviews some people have problems with them. Any other suggestions for good, inexpensive small coffee makers that will allow me to use fresh-ground coffee? Mon Dec 19 15:43:53 -0800 2005 0 Steve Timko 1 1500643 When I am making one or two cups of coffee I just use the filter-drip method. I have a small plastic filter cup that fits right on my coffee mug, line it with a paper filter, put in the right amount of coffee, boil water, remove it from the heat for a moment and pour it through. I've read that the ideal brew time is 4 minutes for best flavor and no bitterness. You could also check out Alton Brown's Good Eats episode on brewing coffee for more details. The Good Eats fan page linked below has summaries and transcripts from all of the episodes, and the recipes themselves are on the Food Network website. Link: http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/GEFP/index.htm Mon Dec 19 15:54:54 -0800 2005 1500640 0 farmersdaughter 1 1500653 For one or two cups I use my old Melitta plastic coffe maker, a cone that sits on top of the mug. Jut insert a paper filter, coffee, and pur hot water in and let it drip. I have been using a Melitta for over 30 years, and think it makes the best daily cup of coffee. Mon Dec 19 16:43:43 -0800 2005 1500640 0 marcie