According to legend, this unique way of brewing coffee originated en route from Sweden to America in the late 1800s. It has become a long tradition for Lutheran church gatherings of Scandinavian-Americans in the Midwest, dubbed "church basement coffee" for the large quantity it usually makes. Before brewing the coffee, a raw egg is added to the grounds, creating a potting soil-like mixture. Some diehard egg coffee lovers use the crushed eggshell as well, but it's optional.

Adding the egg helps clarify the coffee, allowing the grounds to separate from the water easily. The egg white extracts the bitterness from the grounds, as well as enhancing the caffeine. The result is a light, clear brew with absolutely no bitterness or acidity and a velvety texture that's easy to drink.

You can use a saucepan or coffee pot for this recipe. You'll notice that after a few minutes of boiling, the grounds will clump together and float to the top. This is why the coffee has such a mild taste. Adding the cold water creates a French press effect, causing the mass of grounds to sink to the bottom of the pot.