Waving Your Coffee Wand

“The prettiest girl I ever saw Was sipping cider through a straw.”–Traditional Boy Scout song. “The prettiest girl I ever saw Was sipping coffee through a straw.”–Song not yet written, but now it could be. Meet the newest gadget in the coffee gadget universe. It’s called the “Wand” from Wisdom Wands, Inc. The “Java Wand” consists of a glass straw attached to a miniature French press filter.

For those new to the coffee culture, a French press is normally made of a narrow glass or plastic cylindrical jug, a snugly-fitting lid lined with a wire or nylon mesh, and a plunger. The user places the coffee and hot water in the jug, allows it to brew, and, by pressing the plunger, separates the coffee grounds at the jug’s bottom.

French presses are popular because the ground coffee releases more of its essential oils, and therefore flavor, into the water with which it is in contact. But, because the used grounds remain in the jug, the coffee should be consumed immediately so that it does not become overly bitter.

In the “Java Wand’s” case, the French press filter is contained in a tiny cube at the base of a glass straw.

You can brew your coffee directly in your favorite cup, with one or two tablespoons of your favorite beans, ground medium, and water. You can experiment to your heart’s content in deciding the best temperature for the water, the correct brewing time, and ratio of coffee grounds to water.

If you are trying a new coffee, let it brew for one or two minutes, and sip it through your straw. If it’s too weak, brew it a little longer; if too strong, make a note of the brewing time and decrease it the next time.

Add milk, sweetener, or whatever suits you fancy in creating your own unique coffee brew. Then carry your cup to your favorite coffee-drinking spot, and sip away.

One possible drawback to the whole concept? The straw eliminates your ability to gauge the temperature of the coffee before it hits your tongue.

Small sips, please.