Colador de tela

The cloth “media” on a wire ring, found in almost every Colombian home. It gives a rounder, fuller cup than paper, and lasts for months if you look after it.

You need

• A cloth filter (colador de tela) and a jug or cup
• 20 g of coffee for 320 ml of water (2 cups)
• Water just off the boil

Steps

1. Put the coffee in the cloth and set it over the jug.
2. Wet the coffee with a little hot water and wait 30 seconds. It swells and bubbles: this is the bloom, which lets the rest of the water through evenly.
3. Pour the rest slowly, in a few additions, over 2–3 minutes.
4. Let it drain, then serve.

Caring for the cloth

• Rinse it with hot water only, no soap, and let it dry completely before storing.
• A new cloth can taste of fabric: rinse it in boiling water a couple of times before the first use.
• Replace it when it smells stale. An old cloth is one of the most common causes of off flavors at home.