sub for french coffee press

Order a milk coffee, which will be about 1/2 milk, this should not be too strong. Either that or buy instant.

I don't know where you are going, but in Germany, they have these little holders for filters that you can either sit on top of your cup or coffee pot, depending on the size. Put your filter and coffee in, slowly pour the hot water into it and you get drip coffee. (don't overfill!)Taste tests in Germany have actually shown that this makes some of the best coffee, when they compare taste and aroma. They sell these plastic drip coffee holders in any large department store. Don't know if they have them in other countries though.

Jo...I use one. They're available in some supermarkets for about $3 and are made by Melitta. The new design has an opening so you can see how full your cup is without removing the holder.

They come in Black or Red.

You can even get a set that comes with a mug for 6 dollars more...but why waste the money. Go the the dollar store, pick up a mug, then leave it in Eruope on your last day. No need to bring it home.

American style coffee isn't diluted European coffee: the different taste is a result of the different roasting of the beans, not the amount of coffee per unit of water.

Watered down European coffee tastes like watered down European coffee, not like American coffee...

Mark makes a good point. In most places your can order Americano coffee which is basically a large cup, a shot of expresso, and side pot of hot water similar to what you get in the US when you order tea. You can mix it to your taste. Is there a reason you cannot drink "strong coffee" (not even sure what that means) or have you just developed a preference for a lighter flavored coffee?

Thanx - going to be in France and Italy. Appreciate your taking time to respond

Thanx - going to be in France and Italy. Appreciate your taking time to respond

Jo and Frank, thank u - sounds good

Cannot drink dark roast coffee as makes heart pound unpleasanly. Love the Melitta idea which I shall pursue actively. Great!

In the countries in which Turkish coffee (it looks like mud at the bottom of the cup) is the standard coffee sold in cafes, they also have American - style coffee. That is coffee which was put through a filter. I do not know why anyone would want to drink unfiltered coffee, but millions of people do. I think making your own coffee, using a small filter that you bring with you, is a good idea, because of the high price for a cup of coffee, in the big cities in Europe (Vienna, Zurich, Oslo, and some places in Paris, and I guess Dublin). And you can bring with you coffee that you like. (Some coffee sold in cafes and fast food places has an unpleasant flavor).

Ron thanx 4 your response - def will use the filter from home and coffee and Melitta cone

Stick to solo cafe americano or cafe latte (just a latte) remember the darker it's roasted the less caffeine the coffee has. The main thing you should stay away from is anything in a French press. This will always have more caffeine because the water is in contact with the beans for a much much longer period of time.

Starbucks has a travel press by bodum. Press & travel mug combo.

A few years ago I bought coffee bags (like tea bags) for a hiking trip. They were very convenient but the coffee didn't have enough flavour for my tastes. I like a dark roast, so the coffee bags might be more to your liking. Since then, I bought a reusable coffee filter (made by MSR) at a camping supply store. It's lightweight and fits inside your mug. You put your favorite grounds in it and choose how long to steep.

You mentioned that your heart pounded wildly when you drank "strong coffee" - there is more caffeine in light roast coffee than dark. Maybe you were drinking over-brewed coffee or coffee that was made with an improper ratio (e.g., since it was a lighter roast they used more than the usual ratio to compensate). I prefer the taste of dark-roast coffee (often labeled "French Roast" here in the US) and the fact that it had less caffeine.

I think the Melitta pour-through contraption sounds great - a number of coffeeshops that I've been to use them when you want a cup of something that they're not currently brewing. Other than that you can get a travel French press made by Bodum that you can drink out of. I have one but I'm not crazy about it (and don't use it that often) because the grounds often get past the filter resulting in a mouthful of coffee.