Balaji Narasimhan discovers that he has plenty to learn about the magic brew
Not just a drink: Bidisha Nagaraj, of Cafe Coffee Day, says coffee drinking is a social event
Balaji Narasimhan discovers that he has plenty to learn about the magic brew
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Coffee is a drink that is respected and loved by many, but is it everybody's elixir? Are tea drinkers slowly gaining ground and converting the faithful?u00a0
When asked such questions, Bidisha Nagaraj, president for marketing at Cafu00e9 Coffee Day, shakes her head.
"Coffee is not just a drink, it is a social event," she observes. "Everybody says let's meet over a coffee, but nobody says let's meet over tea," she laughs.u00a0
Healthy brew
Bidisha, who has worked with both Intel and Google earlier, says coffee fascinates her.
And while Cafu00e9 Coffee Day has launched coffees from Rajgiri, Costa Rica and other exotic locales, she avers that her favourite is the Indian Kathlekhan Superior.
"It has a nice caramel chocolatey aftertaste," she offers by way of explanation.u00a0u00a0
Even from a medical point of view, she says coffee is a good drink. "Coffee has the highest number of anti-oxidants," she claims, and she could be right.
Value additions
People should be educated about coffee, says Bidisha, and when I a hardcore filter coffee fan asked her what I should try, she said that I would find the Costa Rican Tarrazu to my taste.
This came not in a cup but in a French press and I was cautioned to wait for at least five minutes so that the coffee could get filtered.
Good single coffee, it is said, like single malts, shouldn't be mixed with anything else, and so I drank it down neat, without milk or sugar. It tasted bitter, but had a rich aroma.u00a0
One of the ways that Cafu00e9 Coffee Day is trying to popularise coffee drinking is by offering all the stuff they serve for sale too.
For instance, if you order any coffee like say the Peruvian Chanchamayo and like it, then you can buy whatever it takes to make it.
They sell percolators, French presses and other equipment along with the coffee seeds and powder, so you can enjoy your favourite drink in the comfort of your home. You don't have to go to Cafu00e9 Coffee Day every time.
Sip by sip
According to Wikipedia, coffee is the second-most-traded physical commodity in the world, ranking second only to petroleum. Coffee was first consumed in the 9th century, when it was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia.u00a0
In South India, coffee is a cultural icon. It was originally introduced by Baba Budan (the Baba Budan Hills near Chikmagalur houses his tomb and the hills are named after him) to South India in 16th century and became very popular under the British Rule. Until the middle of the 20th century traditional households would not use granulated sugar but used jaggery instead in coffee.u00a0
According to a study conducted by Dr Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, coffee provides more antioxidants than any other food or drink in the American diet. According to Vinson's data, the average adult consumes 1,299 milligrams of antioxidants daily from coffee. The closest runner-up was tea, with only 294 milligrams per serving.u00a0
Studies also show that coffee has been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.u00a0
However, caution is advised because coffee has also been linked to elevated blood pressure, higher heart rates, stomach pains, and it can also make you jittery. The safest option, obviously, is moderation.u00a0
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