percolator

Beginner 🍳 Food / Culinary

Definition

A coffee brewing device that heats water and repeatedly cycles it through ground coffee beans, creating a strong brew through gravity and heat circulation. It was the dominant method for brewing coffee before automatic drip machines became widespread.

Example Usage

My grandmother still uses a stovetop percolator every morning because she swears it makes the best coffee.

Origin

Patented in the United States in 1901 by James Mason, though the concept of percolating liquids through grounds existed earlier; the stovetop version became a household staple in the early 20th century.

Fun Fact

The rhythmic 'percolating' sound and the visible bubbling of the coffee in the glass dome top made percolators an iconic fixture in American kitchens from the 1920s through 1980s.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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