ON A COFFEE CRUISE
As International Coffee Day just went by, we take a look at the evolution of the bean that created a stir
For most of us, our day doesn’t officially begin unless our taste buds are soaked in that first sip of the morning coffee. But little does one know that coffee is known to have originated in Ethiopia and Sudan, and the earliest credible evidence of coffee as the modern beverage appears in modern-day Yemen, in southern Arabia in the middle of the 15th century.
Fast forward to the 21st century and one sees how drastically has the beverage changed. As the International Coffee Day was celebrated on October 1, we take a peek into the evolution of coffee in terms of flavour, and appearance along with the process of making or brewing.
“Coffee has been an everchanging beverage. Over the years, from instant coffee to speciality coffee, the trends have changed, the serving styles have improvised, and experiential, health-centric, and shareable Insta-worthy coffees are the next big thing. Speciality coffees, single origin, and single estate coffees have now become a new norm,” says entrepreneur Gaurav Narang.
IT’S ALL IN THE MACHINE
The machines that used to brew coffee, too, have changed over time. Initially, the beans were plain, roasted and ground to a fine powder. Later, machines were devised to brew coffee. In South India, the filter, used to brew coffee, dates back to the 17th century. Dinesh Sathiyanathan, food and beverage expert, shares some insight, he says, “Our traditional South Indian coffee filter is designed to produce infusion through the percolation method, and although our blend is unique, this style of production was prevalent in many countries. Then, with the invention of automatic pressure infusion systems, coffee could be produced with more onsistent quality.” The newer machines re calibrated and built to nhance the experience of rinking coffee, by controlling various elements that are required to make a rich, strong brew. “Coffee machine technology has progressed with the growing market for high-quality coffee. With new machines such as the Mirage, one can’t only calibrate the length of the coffee pull and temperature of the liquid, but also adjust the pressure-profile of the pull,” share experts Samir Gadhok and Avani Raheja.
Sharing more insight as to how even the older coffee machines are still preferred, expert Rizwan Amlani says, “Every brewing device has survived because of how it extracted the flavours from the grounds that were put into it.” He explains, “They affect the final brew in so many different ways. Body, aroma, acidity, clarity of flavour — each one does something different and as long as there are people on the hunt for interesting coffee, innovation will never stop. This crazy spectrum of diversity is what makes coffee amazing.”
THE NEW AGE COFFEE
Along with the evolution of the machines that have brewed coffee over the years, coffee too, has gone through many drastic changes. With different types of coffees — cappuccino, latte, mocha and espresso being the basic ones — they are now even available in flavoured forms. And, with the advent of the generation of social media, our coffees need to look as good as they taste, sometimes even better. “Siphon, nitro brew, cold brew, herbal lattes, matchas are the newest trends, which connect with millennials,” adds Gaurav.
COFFEE, NOT JUST A BEVERAGE
While the primary purpose of coffee is to be served as a drink, it has many edible avatars. It is used in food, both sweet and savoury to lend its characteristic flavour. We are familiar with the popular Italian classic, tiramisu, which is as good as coffee eaten, instead of drunk. In India, with our desi filter coffee, we have unique innovations such as Filter Coffee Baked Yogurt and Filter Coffee Cheese Cake, among others.
Not only eatables, but coffee is also known to have qualities that benefit one’s skin as well. Entrepreneur Tarun Sharma says, “Coffee not only gives us an adrenaline rush but also works wonders for the skin. It’s like food for skin and hair.”
Which is true, coffee grounds do not dissolve in water, which makes them good exfoliators. A study by The Royal Society of Chemistry suggests that substances in coffee also help to promote healthy skin. Caffeic acid, an antioxidant, may boost collagen levels and reduce the premature ageing of cells. Tarun adds, “In the past three years of our journey, we realised that consumers want coffee to be a part of their bath kit. It helps repair pollutionravaged skin, giving it the much-needed care.”