The Qahwa Room

Scored a copy of @umeshiso_ ‘s book Not Wasting Coffee which won @sprudge best coffee writing award 2020. Thanks to the benevolent supporter who paid for 20 of these copies 🙏🏽 🙌 whoop whoop 🙌

2020-03-27T02:43:00.001-07:00

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A few weeks ago I came across this young man in #tiktok sweatshirt working on a manual #typewriter and took a click of the juxtaposition of #oldschooltechnology being used by #newagekid Fast forward two weeks, and all of us are now forced to dwell upon our roots and #familyvalues to help us tide over these #difficulttimes #lockdownindia

2020-03-24T11:37:00.001-07:00

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Now I know why people sometimes refer to their coffee as #beanjuice The sweet aftertaste and juicy mouthfeel (how the coffee feels when you are savoring a sip), makes me want to keep endlessly sipping on this coffee. Brewed using #vietnamesephinfilter • • • #coffeed #phincoffeemaker

2020-03-11T22:10:00.001-07:00

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Zen Cafe, Kala Ghoda

2020-02-17T22:56:00.000-08:00

The cafe lives upto it's name Zen with the serene and secluded location. Although life is buzzing about in the busy Fort area, the soothing music and minimal decor, hushed voices of the patrons and staff, create a space where you feel unbusy and unhurried.

My go-to drink at a new cafe is usually an espresso shot. Since this was my second visit to this location, I decided to switch it up for an iced Americano. The service was prompt, and the Americano came with a bite size dessert.

It was a balanced cup of coffee and packed with flavour. I did find it a little weak depite it being a dopio (two shots of espresso). When I reached the end of my cup after sipping on the coffee for an hour, I discovered my folly. I had forgotten to stir the coffee, and got a jolt of flavour concentrate in the last two sips. Lesson learned for the next time I visit the cafe, which will be very soon.

Espresso Machine - Rancilio
Menu - http://www.zencafe.co/themenu.html
Timings - 11-11

Slurp sip chug Till you are recharged With brain juice To enjoy the weekend . . . #coffeed #morningchronicle #psychoactivesubstance

2020-02-07T19:43:00.001-08:00

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Refreshing concoctions for muggy afternoons . . . #bombaywinters #meetupgroup #coffeelovers

2020-01-25T03:25:00.001-08:00

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Is making coffee child’s play? Yes! Available for discounted price of ₹1799 only ($25) for the #holidayseason . . . #childsplay #coffeetoys

2019-12-26T00:51:00.001-08:00

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The magical dark substance that turns “leave me alone” into “good morning beautiful world” . . . #blackcoffee #coffeed #balckisback

2019-10-11T19:48:00.001-07:00

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Incomplete without coffee

2019-09-29T03:46:00.001-07:00

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Benefits of Drinking Black Coffee

2019-09-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I walked into a quaint cafe and treated myself with chocolate mocha after a delicious meal. The decadent cup was inhaled in three large gulps. For my gluttony, I was about to suffer miserably.

As soon as I clicked on the car seat belt, I felt uncomfortable. An hour-long walk in the playground nearby felt like I was dragging a heavy rock behind me on that beautiful Spring afternoon . As soon as I was indoors, the walls began to close in. So I headed out again into the chilly twilight for a breath of fresh air and ponder why I couldn't stomach one day of indulgence.

As the blood flowed freely, I recollected other times when I felt similarly uncomfortable. The culprit was identified milk. More specifically, my lactose intolerance.

While my usual cup of coffee at work or home has a splash of cream or milk (which didn't noticeably irritate my stomach), a full cup of whole milk was too much. I also happen to dislike ice-cream since a young age, and now it makes sense why orange popsicle was always my jam!

With this new insight, I updated my coffee to black "normal coffee", without any additives. Most of us don't like coffee black because we don't pick quality coffee. We add milk/cream and sugar to make it more palatable, because cafe solo (Spanish for 'coffee alone') can taste bitter. When brewed right, black coffee is a delightful sensory experience!

Cognitive and mood benefits are often attributed to caffeine in coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed mug of coffee dispels brain fog. Hence the idiom:

Wake up and smell the coffee

The jolt of caffeine can kick start your metabolism. Bonus points when you hit the gym right after consuming your cup of joe.

Psychoactive effects include better concentration and faster response. I give credit to successful score during my Class 10 exams to coffee. I'd wake up at 5am for final revision with a steaming cup of coffee in my hand. Whatever I'd crammed up last night was lost from memory; the formulas and names I read in the morning seemed to stick. I went on to apply the same recipe for Class 12 and college grad exams. Coffee is often prescribed for teens suffering with ADHD for less disruptive classroom behavior and better test scores.

On days when I haven't slept enough (less than 8 hours), I take a 'coffee nap' to feel less like a zombie after lunch. For nailing a successful coffee nap, you guzzle a quarter mug of coffee, set your alarm for 20 minutes, put on your eye mask and play a white noise soundtrack. The caffeine starts to work its magic in 20 minutes and you awake pumped up and revving to go. It's the same reason a cup of black coffee is advocated before a workout.

Don't just take my word for it. This video by Michael Greger shows scientific studies confirming that milk blocks absorption of good nutrients in coffee, chocolate, tea, even blueberries.

Happy National Coffee Day

2014-09-29T10:36:00.001-07:00

After reading the post Desi Brew French eShtyle, a reader inquired what are the next steps. At first I was confused. Maybe I'd missed something. Probing through the ambiguity I found what the reader wanted to know was - How does this translate into a steaming cup of coffee in the morning.
My first thought was - Isn't it obvious?
Maybe not!
Like most professionals, after working in a field for some time, you lose perspective of the layman's mindset. Using jargon and acronyms which is common-speak of the industry.
So I set to rectify my error. I created this video tutorial.

This is my first attempt at creating a vlog. While I admit it is rough around the edges (and my voice is shaky), I'd love some feedback. Was the explanation clear? Too long?

Desi brew French eshtlye

2014-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Think outside the box

This phrase is often tossed around in brainstorming sessions. I've heard my share during a stint with an ad agency. For disruptive thinking, I often disrupt my daily routine.

I had been on a vacation visiting family in SoCal recently. The imposing heat which soared to 100F by mid-morning daunted me from the kettle for a rolling boil to pour into the French Press. But I sorely missed my caffeine fix. After a sweltering run in the nearby baseball court one morning, I grudgingly prepared a hot brew to thwart sleep, which would have meant I'd miss out on picking up my niece and nephew from their Montessori.

As I sat beside the air vent, blasted by the cool air sipping my freshly pressed coffee, an idea germinated -

What if I used the French Press for making a cold brew?

As you've read before on this blog, Cold Brew is something I've toyed with in the past. Chiefly, it is low in acid

approximately 67% less acidic than coffee brewed by conventional hot-brew methods

However, purchasing an expensive and bulky apparatus deterred me from introducing it into my daily ritual. Using a coffee filter, propped into a funnel turned out to be tacky and time consuming; let's not forget messy!

I ran the idea by my brother. He was skeptical but I promised that we'd try it only if he liked the result the next morning. So, before hitting the sack I measured 8 coffee spoons and 3 cups of normal water into the glass carafe. I stirred the grounds into the water and then stuck it into the refrigerator. The next morning, there was froth gathered in the carafe when we took it out.

Since my sis-in-law prefers a lukewarm coffee, I heated and frothed the milk, and then poured the cold brew for her cuppa. My brother and I had our coffee piping hot with a dash of cinnamon. We collectively agreed that the coffee was smoother and less bitter than the regular French Press brew. Moreover, there was no residual at the bottom of the cup as all the fine particles settled down during the 12 hours the coffee steeped in the cooler.

For the remainder of my stay, I would fix up the coffee carafe the night before, so we could grab our caffeine fix first thing in the morning, without waiting 15 long minutes for the grounds to stew. Time saved is time earned. In my case it was a treat of spending the time playing and chatting with my toddler nephew and infant niece before they headed to the Montessori.

South Indian coffee takes on Americano

2014-07-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Filter coffee served hot and frothy in a traditional tumbler and dabara (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

During a holiday to India, I jetted to namma Bengaluru (Bangalore) to regale in the most exhilarating 3 years I had spent, living independently in an unknown city. When in Karnataka, does as the Kannidiga's do.

Thanks to generosity of a dear couple friend, every morning I woke up to the refreshing smell of freshly brewed coffee. Exhausted from the last evening's merriment, I sleepwalked and placed myself at the dining table. An early riser, my friend, a thoroughbred Kannadiga, cheerily placed a steaming mug in front of me. Caring not the beverage was scalding, I greedily drank it; mid-mug I'd pace myself down to savor its rich flavor. Although I'd grudgingly controlled my coffee consumption to one cup in two days or less on account of a homeopathy medication, the frothy sweetness of fresh South Indian coffee delectably awakening my wits was a treat I couldn't resist.

Used to a medium-dark roast of Arabica or Sumatra beans, ahat makes the South Indian Filter Coffee so unique are two things - fresh coffee from the source and Chicory. The source is Coorg, one of the most beautiful hill stations in Karnataka. Coorg produces two vanities of coffee – Coffea robusta and Coffea arabica. The freshly ground beans are mixed in a 80-20 proportion with Chicory powder. Also spelled Chicoree, this root has been adopted as a coffee substitute plenty of time. In the filter coffee version though, it adds fuller flavor.

My request for acquiring a small package of Chicory bewildered her family's coffee supplier. He'd have thought me mad to ignore the beans and press for the commonplace root. Truth be told, I've searched high and low - online and offline, in Bombay and in USA. This was the only coffee supplier who agreed to sell me Chicory without coffee. My dependable coffee supplier Philips Coffee has long stopped selling coffee with Chicory.

When I griped about this to a friend recently, he cautioned me that Chicory root is harmful for long-term consumption. The word he used was 'poisonous'. The claim seemed dubious, so I launched my own investigation.

Here are the facts about the Chicory plant

its roots, leaves and flowers are used to make medicine
it is used to balance the stimulant effect of coffee
it looks and tastes something like coffee but is caffeine-free, and produces a more 'roasted' flavor than coffee does
because it has a smooth and creamy texture, it enhances the richness of coffee

Which makes it into a thick dark ambrosia you can savor in every sip.

Make coffee a sweeter treat

2014-07-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

It's 3am on a Tuesday morning. The sun will not be rising for another three hours. However, I am up and about. I silently go downstairs from my loft room, avoiding the squeaking panels while ducking from the heavy oak beams which run at an eye level.

Before freshening up, I head to the kitchen and prep for a hot cup of coffee. And then, I sit down for a last revision.

This was my routine for all the Board exams - 10th, 12th and University.

Engulfed with darkness and quiet helped me concentrate. I would spend these last few hours memorizing the most important facts (I was really bad at rote learning).

Just as I would be heading out the door, mom would offer me a spoonful of sweetened curd. This is an ancient custom prevalent throughout India before setting out for some important work such as exams or interviews. Speaking Tree rationalizes that it helps you remain

cool, collected and energized when setting out to accomplish an important task.

Now scientists are endorsing that my sweet fetish has "a small side benefit." A study published in the journal HumanPsychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental showed the combination of caffeine, and glucose can improve the efficiency of brain activity.

a combination of caffeine and glucose has beneficial effects on attention (sequential reaction time tasks) and learning and on the consolidation of verbal memory, none of which were observed when the substances were consumed separately.

What I understood was this --

While I should stop getting friends to steal lumps of sugar for me from the order-desk at PVR Cinemas, dropping them into my coffee cup will make sure I remember the plot points and dialogues for tearing apart in my blog review later.

For the rest of you, it means your brain will be more efficient under the combined effect of the two substances, since it needs fewer resources to produce the same level of performance than required by those who only consume unsweetened coffee or suck on sugar cubes.

Labor of Love

2014-04-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I was invited to a party. After contemplating on the dessert, I decided to make gajar ka halwa. I sought my dad's advise and decided to follow the recipe from the yellowed page my mum had written 5 years ago. The carrot soaked in the sweet milk and spices for 12 simmering hours, making it an instant hit with a renowned Sushi chef who was a guest at the dinner, among others.

For weeks months I've been ruminating to hand-grind my coffee. I'd looked at burr grinders on Amazon, and have 3 shortlisted in my Wishlist. Another trekker, who also works out of his home office accounted how fresh-grinding of coffee for each brew gives his deltoides, bicep and flexors a thorough workout.

This gave me the courage to finally take a plunge and get a hand-crank grinder.

The apparatus is a mill attached to a ceramic pot where the fresh grounds collect.

You may notice that the crank has a vacated hole where the it should have a knob or some such. The thing is, this pretty pot had been gathering dust in the store for years. Every time I saw it, I'd pick it up, turn it around, and then leave it behind. Nobody else wanted it. Finally, I amassed some courage and asked the store manager if he'd got a 'newer' model. He promptly dusted off the thin film of dust on this desolate piece and offered a discount. Like a good Indian, I bargained, and got it for my asking price of $10.

A bit of oiling, scrubbing and what have we here! 40 beans of dark roast can be ground for a different apparatus of coffee-making every time I crave some caffeine.

1. Coarse ground for a French press

2. Fine coarse for a drip brew

3. Super-fine when I need a shot of espresso.

At dinner today, I went to a Mediterranean restaurant which served Turkish coffee. The thick fine coffee just lifted the pain off my aching shoulders. So that's my next conquest - making a smooth shot of Turkish coffee.

What the world drinks

2014-03-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

The lure of tea, tepid water with floating leaves has always put the English in a tizzy. While they enjoyed a Chicken Tikka Masala, spiced with Indian cloves and pepper, the rousing fragrance of tea pressured them to colonize the Indian sub-continent. They traded Indian opium for Chinese tea; eventually they just got Indians in the valleys of Darjeeling and Coonoor to grow the refreshing tips.

The Economist has charted the bean's slow insurgence on the leaf.

Despite an invasion of American Starbucks in Indian metropolis,

tea fuels the the fast growth of BRICS countries (save for coffee-producing Brazil) and dominates Asia

Morocco is a peculiar tea-lovers haven, nestled between Spain and border-sharing Algeria which drink coffee 86% and 77% of the time resp.

What gives?

Impbrewssive

2012-10-12T10:31:00.001-07:00

Brewing coffee with aeropress (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Two seasons ago, I bought a porcelain to-go coffee sipper. But in cold weather the coffee loses its steam by the time I get the car warmed up. During a recent visit, my brother's vacuum mug sipper kept the coffee warm for 2 hours of the drive, put me on the right track for the perfect temperature sustainer.

As often happens, you ask search one thing, and you stumble into the bottomless pit of search engine results. One has favorably engaged my attention.

Impress Coffee Brewer is like drinking coffee directly out of the percolator. Aeropress, also a minimalist coffee brewer, comes a tad behind Impress. In their own words

A one-cup-at-a-time coffee maker & to-go cup that brews delicious full-bodied coffee and stays hot forever without getting bitter.

Forever? I'm sold!

Impress Coffee Brewer is still a Kickstarter project, although I do see the product will be on sale for $40, once its scaled for mass production.

Java Jive

2012-10-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

I love the Java Jive and it loves me! Enjoy this lyrical ode to a cup, a cup, a cup of bean.

Coffee Cupping

2012-09-26T10:54:00.001-07:00

Coffee is the new wine. To appreciate the subtle flavors, texture and body of the coffee brew, coffee cupping is newest fad on the block.

Tasters use spoons to slurp the brew, noting their impressions of taste, acidity, aftertaste, and body. The Northwest region of United States - Portland and Seattle - has various coffee cupping venues where you can learn 'How to taste coffee'.

When I first started drinking coffee, the only difference was that it did not taste like masala tea, drinking chocolate or a malt drink. Nescafe or Bru, regular or premium, they all tasted 'well' with enough sugar and frothed milk. Barista, back them a premium chain was no better than Cafe Coffee Day, except it meant we were acting classy in the former rather than hanging with the gang.

One of the daily coffee cuppings at the Stumptown Coffee Annex in Southeast Portland, Oregon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That first filter coffee from my aunt opened a door to coffee which has over the years made me appreciate (not snooty) what coffee should taste like. I no more drink 2-3 cups of espresso each day, or even every week, which means each cup is savored that much more. After a long walk in Downtown Portland, I picked a glass of iced latte from Peets on my way to the bus stop. It was brown sugared cold water, with not even a hint of coffee; it wasn't even decaf! With Starbucks long left behind in the race for 'enjoying a cuppa', Dutch Bros and Black Rock are the only steadfast options I can count on each time.

National Coffee Week

2012-09-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

(Photo credit: Rudy A. Girón)

A whole week dedicated to coffee aficionados - September 24th to September 29th.
mmm...

Beating Diabetes, one joe at a time

2012-08-15T17:01:00.001-07:00

The sweltering summer has kept me off espresso's. Baking in 38C with no air-conditioning or fan for respite, begged for ice-laden glasses of water, and OJ. Heavy eyelids, droning radio static, scorching laptop. The thought of coffee has me reaching for an ice-pack to cool the forehead.
Surfs up this infograph which wants to drink not one, but four cups of coffee a day, with promise of keeping diabetes at bay. At no given day am I going to consume a lethal dose of ten grams of caffeine, yay to one more win for my mocha.

Buzz Masters

2012-07-26T16:39:00.002-07:00

Have you tested positive for crystalline xanthine alkaloid

2012-05-18T11:59:00.002-07:00

This bitter white stimulant sneaks up into all nearly all our beverages. While in nature it acts as a natural pesticide to paralyze and kill insects, we humans glug copious amounts of it via soft drinks, beverages or energy shots.

Caffeine, you sneaky bugger.

Caffeine Attack (Photo credit: serafini)

The jolt from caffeine keeps us going until the crash which
follows, in my case that is a numbing headache which even sleep can't eliminate.

So, someone created decaf.

For all those hypersensitive to caffeine, wouldn't you like to know if the Americana is legit amount of caffeine?

So, someone else invented a caffeine test strip. D+caf Test Strips help you fine caffeine concentration of coffee and tea with 98% accuracy for detecting “NON-DECAFFEINATED” beverages. The test strips are so high in demand that I could not find a single live link to the product-buy page.

Caribou Coffee Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I will continue to take my chances with that dark roast Caribou Coffee. Drinking two pounds of that coffee hasn't frazzled me, so the remainder half pound should be equally relaxing.

A Fresh Brew

2012-03-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Because I am no longer getting my system wired with copious amounts of caffeine, my body (mainly the part above the neck) has been on "Pause" mode for a month.

The first week after I stopped drinking coffee I had a pounding headache, which diminished only with a continuous knock on the forehead with my cordless phone. It is now held together with a goey remnant of Neosporin & Mickey Mouse Band-Aid. What didn't work for the bruised temple, is sure working well for the eroded earpiece.

A failed rendezvous with hot cocoa, on flash-snow days like today, I grudgingly sought refuge in the warm comfort of steeped tea leaves.

Whether you know how to roll perfectly round chappatis which fluff up like balloons, not knowing how to brew a good cup of tea has been my saddling curse. Weak as a kitten, my tea is usually drained in the gullet of the In-Sink-Erator. If I recollect and take out the tea bag half an hour later, the tea is only fit for soaking Parle-G biscuits or tea rusks till they sink at the bottom of the cup and I end up 'eating' the bitter-sweet mush with a spoon.

During a trip to Iraq with my mom a decade ago, we'd spend the afternoons walking through the ruins of the freshly bombed town square, following our noses to seek the sweet enticing aroma of freshly brewed tea (she was a tea aficionado). Served in delicate cups the size of a shot glass, their sweet and minty black tea is not scorching hot; you find yourself sipping a warm dessert, sitting in the desert (see what I did there ;-))

On a rain-drenched spring evening of Portland, I savored a similar brew at Dar Essalam a Mediterranean restaurant which serves Indian-like spicy meats accompanied with Moroccan Hot Mint Tea served in a filagreed silver pot and matching cups.

Recollecting the notes of flavor, I gathered the raw materials:

- Loose tea leaves
- Orange Blossom Water
- Fresh Mint Leaves from my potted plant (they are floating in the water)
- IngenuiTEA which I have used until recently for Cold Brewing Coffee
- 2 sachets of sugar (American sugar is less sweet than Indian sugar)
- Nuked water

Everything went in the IngenuiTEA and poured out 5 minutes later.

Verdict? I finished drinking it all even before I finished typing the words 'tea leaves' the first time in this post, and I finished typing the entire post in one-sitting, which usually takes me 2-3 days to complete.

Got any tips to improve my tea nirvana?

Coffee Break

2012-02-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

After a failing association with Allopathy medication, I have turned to my favorite alternative - Homeopathy. It never fails to surprise me that two tiny sweet pellets can have such dramatic results which popping large bitter and gullet-chocking tablets fail to achieve.

Image via Wikipedia

The only drawback is that I will be unable to freshen my afternoons with a steaming cup of mocha. Tuesday was my first day without coffee. Most times I skip a cup when I'm too busy. But since it is a mandate now, my body decided to retaliate with a full-blown withdrawal and launched a pounding headache which only an unadulterated shot of espresso can cure. Mind though conquered over matter, and I lolled the remainder of the evening in a haze.
The mist rolling across the hills aka my parking lot urges me to froth up a cappuccino. Reckoned to steep a cup of tea with the remains of a one-year old sachet I'd bought for my father when he was visiting. I settled for a warm glass of water. After yesterday's swim class though, I needed something to stir me up from the adrenaline crash. I made a pit stop at my local coffee shop Coffee Time and just stood for half a minute treating my olfactory senses to the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee.
The guy behind the counter had cocked his head up from the Nintendo he was playing to get my order started. So there was a question mark on his face as I scanned the chalkboard to find a comfort drink. Then it struck me. Hot cocoa!
I asked him if he could whip me up a cup of cocoa, asking twice if there was any coffee involved in the process. He gave a boring sideways glanced and said "No coffee." I felt the vexing urge to explain myself. "I am trying to kick the coffee habit, so just want to make sure there's no coffee whatsoever in my drink."
He nodded, and suggested that I take a medium cup. I said "Sure!"
Coffee Time is half a mile from my apartment, with a single signal light. Trying to distill any kind of soothing effect which coffee fills the nerves with, I gulped down 3/4th of the cocoa before I'd reached home. On the plus side, I am now sleeping like a baby at the stroke of midnight.