More thoughts on coffee

Opening the coffee tin in my office pantry today brought to mind a little event of my life from long back.

My aunt, Shashi chikki brought a jar of granulated coffee from Bahrain. Nescafe Gold, I think it was. The description said those were “coffee crystals”. Now every science student knows the difference between crystalline and amorphous substances, right? Who were they fooling? But this thing was so…nice, that I forgave them that mistake. The “crystals” were beautiful, with a matte finish, like miniature asteroids. I would place a few on my tongue and feel them melting. People in the past have witnessed the dawn of new eras, like the industrial era, or the Hippies era. I witnessed the granulated coffee era. The internet phenomenon was nothing compared to it.

This must have been, what, 8-10 years ago. It was the first time I had seen granulated coffee. Up until then, I had only seen powdered instant coffee. Well, to begin with I hardly ever saw instant coffee in any form, as none of our families had it. The only memories I have of instant coffee in my childhood are occasional glimpses of a little bottle of Bru, the contents inevitably turned into a solid block because powdered coffee hardens so easily, and the jar was hardly used anyway. Just kept there for “emergencies” that never came because the trusty filter coffee never let us down.

The coffee filter always has its own place on the kitchen platform, usually in a corner. Invariably, it is a battered and bruised thing, which means it is a well-loved instrument. I don’t remember seeing a shiny new one in any kitchen. I think a coffee filter is born bruised and battered, just like some people seem to be born old. I think my South Indian traits assert themselves strongest when it comes to coffee. Even now, I can’t help but be taken aback, and even feel a slight sense of betrayal when I encounter a South Indian household without a coffee filter or any other form of brewing apparatus.

There are some things you just don’t give up, no matter what.

Never.

Ever.