A French Press can be used to make more than just delicious coffee. A video posted on Instagram on 7 July shows food blogger Ereka Vetrini (@erekav) using it to make a sangria with prosecco, Aperol, and fresh fruits. She puts these ingredients in it, chills them in the fridge for a few hours, and simply presses to create her cocktail. The reel got over 20 lakh views and 67 thousand likes. This hack is used by mixologists too.
In an email interview, Nisher Mir, the assistant manager of food and beverages at the restaurant KLINX in the Hilton, Bengaluru, shares, “The French Press is simple to use and allows for an easy infusion of flavours—from fruits, herbs and spices—which results in well-blended and aromatic cocktails. You can also prepare a larger quantity of cocktails at once, making it perfect for entertaining guests.”
The French Press, which normally uses pressure to capture the concentrated flavours of coffee, leads to a smoother infusion of alcohol with fruits, spices and herbs. The coffee apparatus has a plunger to create pressure which quickens the infusion process, says Bhutesh Chinna in an email interview. He is the bar manager and mixologist at Cantan in Bengaluru. Many cocktails can be crafted using a French Press, especially those that require muddling.
For example, minty mojitos and zesty old fashioned cocktails are popular choices. Saahil Gangurde, a mixologist at Plural in Mumbai, shares his recipe for a Jamaican rum punch that can be made in a French Press.
1 cup rum
Half cup pineapple juice
One third cup lime juice
One fourth cup Grand Marnier
One fourth cup simple syrup
1 cinnamon stick
6-7 mint leaves
4-5 jalapeños, sliced
Toasted coconut chips for garnish
To learn how to make a sangria in a French Press, watch this video.