flipPercolator Coffee
Percolator Coffee
Why this dish? No American laboratory in the 1950s ran without its electric percolator gurgling in a corner. For the endless hours spent plotting sonar profiles, black coffee was the real fuel — the coffee break, a social ritual as much as a pick-me-up.
A strong, bold, slightly bitter coffee, brewed in a percolator that cycles boiling water through the grounds. Served black in a thick mug, it's the cornerstone beverage of any research day.
The percolator in the hallway sang all day — that gurgle was the soundtrack of Lamont. I took it black, never sweetened: you had to be wide awake so as not to mistake a rift valley for a simple recording error. When colleagues came to refill their cups, we'd talk about drifting continents; some would roll their eyes, but the coffee never contradicted me.
- •Ground coffee (coarse grind) — one scoop per cup (aroma and bitterness)
- •Water — by volume (extraction)
Percolator Coffee
A strong, bold, slightly bitter coffee, brewed in a percolator that cycles boiling water through the grounds. Served black in a thick mug, it's the cornerstone beverage of any research day.
Why this dish? No American laboratory in the 1950s ran without its electric percolator gurgling in a corner. For the endless hours spent plotting sonar profiles, black coffee was the real fuel — the coffee break, a social ritual as much as a pick-me-up.
The percolator in the hallway sang all day — that gurgle was the soundtrack of Lamont. I took it black, never sweetened: you had to be wide awake so as not to mistake a rift valley for a simple recording error. When colleagues came to refill their cups, we'd talk about drifting continents; some would roll their eyes, but the coffee never contradicted me.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ground coffee (coarse grind) — one scoop per cup (aroma and bitterness)
- Water — by volume (extraction)
Ingredients
- Coarsely ground coffee — 60 g per liter (aroma and bitterness)
- Filtered water — 1 liter (extraction)
Method
- Fill the percolator reservoir with cold water.
- Place the coarse grounds in the upper basket.
- Heat until water rises through the stem and percolates through the coffee (the glass knob turns brown).
- Let percolate for 6 to 8 minutes — no longer, or it becomes too bitter.
- Serve immediately, black and piping hot, in a thick mug.
- Without a percolator: make a strong drip coffee.
How it was made : The electric percolator ruled American kitchens and offices from the 1930s to the 1970s, before being dethroned by the drip coffee maker. Its coffee was known for its powerful body and frank bitterness, often criticized today but adored back then.
The contemporary twist : Serve it in a navy blue enamel mug and call it "Mid-Atlantic Roast" — a coffee as deep as the ridge she revealed.
Sources : Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, 1950 · Hali Felt, Soundings, 2012
Marie Tharp · Charactorium
