Bumpin da thread to give my first french press coffee report.
Went to Ikea today and picked up one of their cheapie models. Then we stopped over at Peet's and got a 1/2 pound of their limited "Las Hermanas" coffee to christen it. I told the guy at the counter that I just bought a french press and he proceeded to give me a refresher course in how to use it. Also ground some beans to different levels of courseness to show me just about where the grind should be (pencil shavings, as he put it). It was very helpful.
Upon arriving at home, I gave the first batch a shot and am now drinking a damn good cup of coffee. I agree with Erica that Peet's recommended ration of coffee to water might be a tad strong. I went with it because I really like strong coffee but I'm halfway through this cup and am feeling a bit too jittery. I'll definitely go with Erica's suggested ratio next time. Still, it is absolutely the best cup of coffee I've ever made at home and is exactly what I was hoping for when starting this thread.
So thanks again for all your input. I really appreciate everyone's help!
(hmm, I wonder if this is what speed feels like)