The Journey of the Coffee Bean to Indian Filter Kaapi
Hurrying my way past through the mall, figuring the next spot to squander my money on; the “aromatic” call beckons.
Tired? Yes I am.
Should I shop more? Well, NO.
Can’t I make a quick stop? YESSS!
The scintillating aroma of roasted coffee beans enlightens my non-responding brain instantly. I could feel the need for the instant jolt of energy.
I walk-in to be greeted by a happy charming Barista (yes, he was smiling that made him whatsoever charming). I scan through the specials, and still stick with my frothy Grand Cafe Latte. Yes old habits die hard- don’t they?
While I was waiting for my energy drink in a delightful cup with a beautiful Latte Art, my mind was lost in COFFEE thoughts. I had recently read about how the pricey coffee had made its way to our homes. Back in time, alcoholic drinks were cheaper than a shot of expresso. Funny how the social status for drinking coffee and having a chilled beer are the same today.
Walking through time, back in the 11th century, the coffee bean, was known as the “magical fruit”. While its leaves had medicinal properties, the cherry-like magic fruit is believed to be born in the rich fertile soils of Ethiopia.
Interestingly, the coffee bean was born in the rich fertile soils of Ethiopia dating back to the 11th Century when cherry-like fruit was called the “magical fruit” and the leaves were believed to have medicinal values. Further on, with extensive plantations of coffee, Yemen (in early 1600’s) was primarily the source of coffee to the rest of the world. Yea, for 200 years, the Yemeni’s figured out that inorder to rule the coffee trade, they would only ship roasted or baked coffee beans to the rest of the world.
Monopoly aside, coffee as a bean didn’t exist in India at that time, neither were we aware of what coffee was back then. Thanks to a 16th-century Sufi, Baba Budan, who on his way back from his holy pilgrimage from Mecca, sneaked 7 raw coffee beans out of the Yemeni Port of Mocha wrapped around his belly. He settled back in the hills of Chandragiri, Kadur District, Karnataka. From then on, it took the British (or the East India Company) to bring in the coolness of coffee drinking and India’s first coffee house was opened in Calcutta in 1780, followed by opening of the Madras Coffee House, and Exchange Tavern at the Madras Fort. These coffee houses would make their beloved customers pay a high price of Rs.1 for a single dish of coffee, while offering Indian and European newspapers to read , or even free use of billiards tables.
“And of course we have a Coffee-shop! We gather together every morning after the early ride of parade, to refresh the exhausted frame with copious libations of Mocha and Bohea… with the aid of coffee and cheroots, newspapers, and perhaps a game at billiards, we while away the fleeting hour…” So writes George Francklin Atkinson in his hugely entertaining Curry and Rice on Forty Plates — The Ingredients of Social Life at “Our Station” in India, published in 1859.
Coffee made its touch down to not only the Indian soil, but had also imbibed into the hearts of the Indians. It was in the 1820’s, the Coffee bean was first planted commercially in India and took shape on a larger scale. Despite a cuppa of Tea or Chai being the people’s favourite as a morning drink, coffee slowly grew as a favourite drink.
Particularly of the Tamil Brahmin household- yes the filter kaapi, served with the dabarah & tumbler, that we know of today was born in the late 1800’s. It was at this point of history, filter coffee was elevated into art form and the evolution of a coffee culture defined the Tamil Brahmin community; they roasted their own beans, created the gadget and utensils required for the roasting, grinding, brewing and serving.
The Indian filter coffee has traveled near and far that we know of today. Ah, yes coming back to the aromatic cup of coffee that I paid a hefty price for, is ideally a modern version of the filter Kaapi, that we all know of.
Sources:
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/07/AR2005070701722.html
- Great Coffee -Database Book: All about Coffee- William Harrison UkersCoffee: A Dark History: Antony Wild
- Crucible Online: http://www.crucible-online.net/coffeebreak/From%20Mocha%20to%20Mysore%20-%20A%20Coffee%20Journey.htm
