The Art of Coffee Drinking
Social Side of Coffee
Coffee is not just a beverage. To most of us, it is our lifeline. There are those who would argue that coffee can never beat tea in popularity, but that is changing day after day. With the emergence of coffee chain giants like Starbucks and Costa, the consumption of this hot beverage has seen a surge even in developing countries.
The influence of coffee on our social life is more evident than ever. We are constantly having business meetings, get-togethers and dates at cafes and coffeehouses. A cup of coffee is an elixir, a fresh lease of life when you are deep in work or just to unwind with your better half. It won’t be wrong to say that this drink is changing lives. After all, it is the second most traded commodity in the world, falling behind only to crude oil.
Popularity of coffee
The coffee culture is unique in different parts of the world. Each city and country has its own ritual associated with drinking coffee. Maybe this is why we never understood or will understand the fascination of the Italians, the ignorance of the Indians of their rich coffee cultivation and the boom of instant coffee in the rest of the world.
The reason instant coffee is so popular and widely consumed is directly proportional to its low cost, low on effort and less time-consuming qualities. But then, all good things come with a prize. And drinking good quality coffee requires a hefty one. Buying the beans isn’t cheap, nor is a coffee machine. Even so, more people are looking for their perfect cup of joe and are ready to brew a morning dose of caffeine.
Coffee drinking: An Art
Coffee drinking is nothing short of an art. Every person brewing and producing it is an artist. If you take a closer look into coffee’s history, you will find it has evolved over centuries to the form we drink it in. In fact, even today, how we consume coffee is changing. There are a variety of flavours like hazelnut, Irish, chocolate, vanilla, etc that are being served. The way it’s served is again a form of art (take the Latte Art for instance).
The possibilities of experimenting with coffee are endless. Bakers have been using coffee in confectioneries, pastries, cakes and even desserts (like Tiramisu). Coffee-infused cocktails are trending with more and more people mixing their brews with booze. If you are a fitness freak or if you have friends who are, you must have heard about the Keto diet and the oh-so healthy Bullet or Bulletproof Coffee.
Coffee & Trends
Since the last few days, social media is buzzing with the South Korean’s recipe for what they call the Dalgona Coffee. But to the delight of Indians and utter disappointment of theirs, it is plain old jhaag wali (foam) coffee we have been making for years at home. Speaking about India, we still lack behind in understanding the essence of coffee. It’s funny because India is among the top 10 coffee-producing countries, holding the seventh position in 2018 as reported by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO).
When it comes to coffee, the experiments with flavours and roasts are getting better with time. We have decaf, green and even matcha infused coffee being served and sipped around the globe. Needless to say, whatever your choice; be it mixing a packet into boiling water, sipping up a cup of filter coffee or stuffing it up with milk and sugar, coffee drinking is an art. It will always find lovers who will enjoy it till the last dregs in the cup remain.
And while you are at it, go grab your cup of joe!
