I have a few different ways I make coffee, depending on what I want, how much I want, and how long I want to wait.
First and quickest is a small percolator that makes three cups of coffee. It's ok and I primarily use it to make flavored coffees. Second method is similar, we have one of the single serve drip cones and I'll use that. For both these I use a little heavy cream and a little either maple syrup or brown sugar. I find they add a richness to the coffee that white sugar just doesn't have.
If I have time I'll use a small pan, bring water to a boil. Remove it from the heat, and then add fine ground coffee. I let it sit for fifteen minutes. Then I'll add brown sugar and a small pat of butter, and put it back on the burner. Bring just to a boil, immediately remove from heat and let the grounds settle. Then pour into mugs as soon as they do. I'm careful not to pour the grounds into the mugs. I don't add anything else to this method except occasionally a little fresh grated cinnamon.
The last method is my favorite. I bring water to a boil and then reduce the temperature to low. Then for every 1 cup of water I add 1/4 cup hole coffee beans and 1 whole clove. I add them as soon as the water stops actively bubbling. Then I let it sit on the lowest temp for forty minutes. It's great for a brunch or lunch coffee, or later morning after your first cup was a quicker method coffee. For this method I either drink it black or with a little high quality milk. The combination of clove and coffee is like nothing else. The clove accents the various flavors in the coffee and highlights them. And because the water isn't too hot the coffee doesn't end up bitter. It is nuttier, smoother, with just a hint of bite from the clove. The flavor is a nice strength without getting that weird, powdery, metallic taste that strong coffee frequently has.
