mugunthanchari

COFFEE COFFEE !!

Of all the aromas on earth, some of the most enchanting ones are:

=>Smell emanating from roasting of coffee seeds

=>Smell emanating from freshly baked hot bread

=> Smell emanating from mother earth, when the first rain drops fall on a dry day.

Coffee and its flavor have mesmerized South Indian folks like nothing else. Especially certain communities are known for their addiction to this beverage!

My friend’s father used to say that a good coffee should be “Dark Like night, Hot like hell and Sweet like love “ ! Alas, he was woken up in his afternoon siesta by my friend’s mother with hot coffee in Dabara & Tumbler (Cup and Saucer of South India, made in Stainless Steel or Brass)  in her hand. But he had passed away in his sleep in the afternoon without tasting the last brew!

In olden days coffee seeds used to be bought from India Coffee House. P.P Re, Plantation, Arabica and Robusta etc. were name of some of coffee seeds. They were mixed in certain proportion which was closely guarded by the families. Chicory was big No No !! And then the seeds were roasted at home using coal or fire wood using a special gadget. The roasted seeds were stored in air tight containers after proper cooling. Every day morning and evening these seeds were ground and fresh decoction was made. Getting the right decoction is like Zen and the art of meditation. Water has to be at right temperature neither boiling nor Luke warm. After pressing the coffee powder correctly in the filter water is poured on the side of the filter so that decoction decants slowly to the bottom container.

 Matriarch or Patriarch of the house got the right to sip first decoction coffee and others are served as per the hierarchy.  Servants generally got the last brew with limited milk. Household members got the coffee made with freshly boiled milk and adequate sugar to sweeten the same.

Nowadays this culture is gone people buy ready -made coffee powder from brands like “Narasus”, “Joseph”, “Padma”, “Iyengars” “ Kumbakonam Degree Coffee” etc. These brands are made taking into consideration local preferences in mind. Chicory  is now added to get good body to coffee which otherwise does not get the necessary thickness.  

There was a nice short story by Sri Rajaji which I read as a small boy wherein in one of the villages one brand of coffee powder becomes super hit! Later the consumers realize that the shop keeper was adulterating the same with Shihakai powder and all along the consumers were praising the brew and enjoying the same!

I still recall my childhood when my father used to sit with a tumbler known as Appa Tumbler a fairly big one which can take approximately 250 to 350 ml coffee. We all children used to surround him asking for the last drop of the same. Whosoever was a favorite of that day he used to get the last sip. My father on retiring gave up coffee completely and took to two cups of tea every day. My parents made it a point that we never got hooked to coffee.  Their success is only 25% as among the four brothers, only I do not take do not take coffee or tea!

A few years back when my last brother was to get married, we as a whole big family had moved to a suburb to attend the wedding and were staying in the marriage hall. Around 3 AM I heard someone was calling my name. I woke up and found my aunt asking for me. I asked her what was the matter ? She was asking for coffee at that hour. I had to politely tell her that even the cows in the village had not woken up and she had to wait for three hours! I asked her to sleep off!

If you are travelling by any train in Chennai and beyond in Tamil Nadu, even at very odd hours you can see the vendors screaming off “ KAPPI KAPPI “  ! They are patronized by Coffee addicts who take the hot brew and go for instant sleep! My wife fondly recalls how her grandmother used to take coffee late night in silver Kooja (Special container / flask) and take frequent sips in late night!

Despite the advent of Cappuccino, Latte and all high sounding names nothing stands in front of A GOOD Kumbakonam Degree Coffee. Coffee served in North Indian marriages is usually Espresso variant which is nothing but steam and foam. Apart from a liberal sprinkling of drinking chocolate on the top of the cup above the frothy foam there is no coffee flavor to it ! As most of the marriages take place during winter it is a good diversion for teetotalers who cannot take the forbidden drink !! 

Coffee apart from Caffeine kick gives lot of anti oxidants, boosts brain activity, increases Blood Pressure short term memory, and reduces the risk of Alzheimer by 65 %. But one should take in moderation two to four cups of eight Oz. by volume!

So say Cheers to your Morning and evening Brew….KAPPI….KAPPI. !!