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French press coffee and tea offer full-bodied flavor. To try the drinks out for yourself, visit Scout Café in Wilmington.
Libation of the Month
French Press Coffee or Tea
Where to Find It
Scout Café
2316 Baynard Blvd., Wilmington
Espressos, cappuccinos, Americanos and Cubanos are standard coffee shop fare. But you’re unlikely to find a French press outside of an upscale restaurant. This is where Scout Café is different. The new coffee shop on Baynard Boulevard in Wilmington’s Triangle neighborhood has French press on the menu for either coffee or tea.
“I’m a big French press lover and user,” says owner Nicholas Qaabar. “It’s an intimate experience to get your own French press or share it with someone.”
The elegant device forces coffee grounds or tea leaves to the bottom of the small pot for a rich, full-bodied flavor. The manual process is efficient, yet each step has a certain refinement that transports the customer to a lazy afternoon at an outdoor Parisian café. Serving coffee this way allows café patrons to enjoy the intimacy that comes with the traditional tea and coffee. We may be used to a grab-and-go cup, there’s something special about slowing down to share a conversation while pouring a warm, comforting beverage from a pot on the table.
Indeed, since the press makes 24 ounces and the largest to-go cup is 20 ounces, you’ll want to enjoy it in the café. “You’re adding an experience,” Qaabar says of the French press process. “Hopefully, we can bring that back and offer a personal connection to coffee.”
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