It’s been a year since I became a black coffee drinker, and I have CR Coffee’s owner Kevin Pedeaux to thank for it. I couldn’t fathom drinking black coffee before – how could it taste good without the milk? But I have since realized it’s the quality of coffee that can convert the drinker. This time last year, I had removed caffeine, alcohol, and sugar from my diet, and let’s just say I missed the hell out of all three, especially when the pandemic hit. I knew once I broke the fast, I wanted a really good cup of coffee, a great bottle of wine, and a decadent piece of dark chocolate. CR Coffee Shop had just opened its second location on Magazine Street, in the blocks between Napoleon and Louisiana Avenues, on a long stretch of Magazine Street that never had a coffee shop, which as we know in this city is an odd thing. I knew it would be my destination for that first delicious cup of coffee. It was even the first small business I visited after the shutdown, and to be back in a public space at that time took on special meaning. You see, Kevin was the one to start me on this journey to great coffee. Years ago, he introduced me to the art of coffee while I was a guest on his talk show, Coffee with Kevin, when I was but a fledgling coffee drinker. I now buy my beans from CR Coffee, each batch roasted on their antique coffee roasters which Kevin credits with preserving that old school flavor, what one customer described as “the way I think coffee should taste, but better.” I own all of Kevin’s coffee brewing product recommendations. The thing I look forward to the most each day is my delicious cup of black, locally roasted coffee. I am out to convert all the Keurig lovers, so allow me to share all the tips and tricks Kevin has shared with me so you, too, can be a coffee connoisseur like a true New Orleanian.

Freshness Matters. For a good cup of coffee, the freshness of the roast matters, and also how recently the beans were ground. Buy whole coffee beans directly from a roaster, as close to the roast date as possible, and use a grinder to grind what you need right before you brew. In my house, we use about five pounds of coffee per month, so I bring home a five-pound bag of beans each month and keep it on the counter in the bag it came in. By starting with freshly roasted beans and grinding right before brewing, the taste and quality are unchanged from the first cup of coffee to the last of the bag. If you want to keep the beans fresh longer, store them in a sealed plastic bag. Storing ground coffee in the freezer will not preserve its freshness in New Orleans; coffee grounds are very absorbent and our humidity seeps into the grounds, diminishing the flavor and quality.

Grind Matters. An even grind is essential to getting the best flavor from the beans. A burr grinder will give you the most consistent grounds with all the pieces the same size — it may be slightly more expensive than a blade-style grinder, but you will notice the difference in the finished product. For a French press, use a coarse grind; for pour-over or drip coffee machines, use a medium grind; and for espresso machines, use a superfine grind. (Though I would be remiss not to tell you that cheap home espresso machines do not create a good product and are not worth your money. Either leave espresso to the professionals or invest heavily in a very high-quality machine.)

Water Matters. You are probably not using hot enough water. Water boils at 212°F, and the ideal brew temperature is 203-205°F. The vast majority of coffee machines, even newer machines, do not get the water hot enough — only 180-190°F. If you are using a kettle to boil the water and then pouring it over the grounds, the water will cool just slightly as you remove it from the heat and begin pouring, so you’ll have the temperature just right. 

Ratio and Time Matter. There are many variables when it comes to how much coffee and water to use, but two Tablespoons of coffee grounds per six-ounce cup of coffee is a good place to start. Yes, you need to measure. If you want more strength to your coffee, use more coffee grounds, but do not change the grind or increase the brew time.  The ideal brew time is four minutes. When you increase the brew time past four minutes, this brings out more bitter notes. 

Gear Recommendations. Now that you know the method, this is the hardware that Kevin recommends to help you achieve coffee shop-quality drinks at home.