Ever imagined a world without coffee? A place where nobody wakes up to the heavenly aroma of freshly prepared brews or an early morning dose of caffeine to pump you up with energy. Nobody gets an instant boost of motivation in the middle of the day or a late-night companion for their pending work. Nobody finds a sweet way to express their affection or a desire to spend some time with the one they love. And the worst part? Nobody gets to enjoy the creaminess of a frothy, beaten coffee, the rich goodness of espresso, a pumpkin spice latte’s crisp taste of autumn or the warm winter nostalgia from a peppermint coffee.
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Didn’t quite like the idea of such a world? You can thank Baba Budan (also known as Hazarat Shah Janab Allah Magatabi), who managed to smuggle seven seeds of coffee to India one day from his pilgrimage in Mecca, some hundreds of years ago. He then sowed the seeds in his garden near a cave in Chandragiri, Andhra Pradesh – which is, since then, considered the birthplace of coffee in India. And the rest, as they say, was history.
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10 Types Of Coffee That Everyone Should Try
Isn’t it amazing how a cup of coffee can do wonders? Not only does it have the ability to cure your everyday blues but also keeps away diabetes, boosts your energy and speeds up your metabolism. Whoever said ‘a lot can happen over coffee’ knew what they meant. With such a wide array of blends, roasts and flavours, why must you settle with just one type of coffee? Check out some of our favourite 10 best ways of enjoying this delicious cuppa.
Espresso
Originating in Italy, espresso is one of the strongest forms of coffee in the world due to its high concentration of caffeine – so much so, that it’s often called a ‘shot’. You may have to acquire a taste for its distinct flavour, but once you do, you wouldn’t find yourself settling for any other type of coffee. This beverage is prepared by boiling water at a very high temperature through finely-ground coffee beans for several minutes before it results in a thick brew with an aroma strong enough to envelop your senses.
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Cappuccino
This delicious beverage is a classic favourite and quite possibly the most irresistible one for any coffee lovers in the world. The milk ratio in this coffee is slightly more than other coffees as it’s prepared by adding an equal amount of espresso with whole milk (or cream), sugar and you could also add flavoured syrups such as hazelnut, chocolate, cinnamon or caramel.
Cafe Latte (Cafe Au Lait)
As one of the oldest (in demand since the 17th century) and most popular beverages across the world, a cafe latte literally means, “coffee with milk.” It’s prepared by adding espresso to a generous amount of milk. It’s then shaken thoroughly (for at least a minute or two) and steamed at a temperature of 60 to 70-degree Celsius, thereby allowing the foam or frothy layer of milk to settle on top of the coffee. Once it’s done, you can always add some chocolate shavings for that extra burst of flavours.
Cafe Mocha
Who can resist the delicious combination of coffee and chocolate? We sure can’t. If you’re a fan of cocoa beverages, chances are that you’re going to fall in love with this drink. This espresso-based coffee is prepared more or less in the same way as a latte, yet with a distinct variation of adding hot milk to as much chocolate as your heart desires. It can further be paired with a generous addition of whipped cream with chocolate chips on top. Yum!
Americano
If you watch enough American television, you might have noticed most of them brewing their coffee with hot water in a pot and consuming it the first thing in the morning. An Americano is ideal for those who like their coffee black. Unlike other espresso-based drinks, this one is made by diluting espresso with hot water instead of milk, thereby lowering the strength of coffee whilst preserving the gratifying taste of espresso.
Macchiato
Although it’s similar to espresso, this unique drink is served with a little foamed milk on top. In Italian, the word macchiato means ‘stained’ as it adds a patch of colour to the pitch-black espresso drink. So, if you find a black coffee too bitter for your taste, this foamy drink will add just the right amount of milk to moderate the bitterness of your espresso.
Flat White
Originated in Sydney in the 1980s, this creamy coffee is quite similar to your typical latte or cappuccino, except that it contains micro-foamed milk, thereby giving the drink a more velvety or smoother texture. This piping-hot beverage is usually served with biscuits or cake loaves and considered a perfect replacement to hot chocolate in winters.
Long Black
Often misunderstood as an americano or macchiato, it makes a world of difference to any coffee connoisseur. It may be similar in the way it’s prepared by adding hot water to espresso (only) but what sets it apart is the fact that it’s less voluminous and more strongly flavoured due to its retention of crema (a brownish foam that forms on top of a freshly brewed espresso).
Turkish Coffee
Prepared and presented in several Turkish traditions, this coffee boasts an incomparable taste and aroma – such that it has started gaining immense popularity in other parts of the world as well. Since the Turkish like their coffee sweet, simple and light, most of it is sugar water. This coffee is thus made with freshly prepared ground coffee and cold filtered water with sugar only. So, if you love exploring different kinds of coffee, don’t forget to give this one a chance.
Irish Coffee
The Irish do know how to stir things up and make any drink interesting! Invented by Joe Sheridan, Country Limerick’s head chef, this signature drink was made to serve a few American passengers who were found disembarked at Shannon Airport in Ireland, one night during the harsh winter of the 1940s. His sole motive was to just warm them up! So what could be better than the exciting combination of whiskey and coffee? Irish coffee is actually a popular cocktail made of a few shots of espresso, sugar, cream and of course, Irish whiskey.
10 Best Coffee Brands In India That’ll Make A Delicious Brew
For most of us, coffee and happiness are always going to be synonymous. So, if you’re addicted to coffee, as much as us, we’ve listed 10 of our favourite coffee brands in India that are bound to make you fall in love with coffee, all over again.
Blue Tokai Roasters
Started in 2013, this brand has gained immense popularity in the last few years with its huge number of cosy cafes and the distinct taste of their coffee beans which they select from their own award-winning estates and roast them with care. Making such high-quality coffee even more accessible through their website, Blue Tokai has always stuck to one primary mission: ‘The coffee we roast is the coffee we like to drink’ and that has made all the difference. Although they have a great range of signature blends to choose from, our favourite is the Monsoon Malabar, which is a bittersweet roast with a nutty finish and earthy notes of spices.
Davidoff
If you like your coffee strong, dark and intensely rich, Davidoff’s coffee is bound to win your heart. The secret of Davidoff’s Espresso 57 lies in their traditional drum roasting, which allows the beans to gently develop their full flavour and give the coffee its distinctive taste. So, if you’re an espresso fanatic, go ahead and awaken your senses with the smooth aroma and subtle chocolate notes of Davidoff’s luxurious espresso beans.
Starbucks
Who doesn’t love Starbucks? With over 27,339 outlets all over the world, this is one brand whose coffee we blindly trust. And now, you can experience the pleasure of a classic Starbucks coffee without stepping out of your home. Their House Blend Medium Roast coffee is one that you need to try if you haven’t before. Rich in toffee notes, it’s a blend of fine Latin American beans roasted to perfection with a nutty zest and a cocoa finish. Doesn’t it sound worth trying?
TATA Grand
After successfully establishing their name for decades in the Indian tea market with their iconic Tata Tea brand, Tata decided to take a plunge into the branded coffee space as well and since then, has never looked back. Sourced primarily from the finest of plantations in South India, their coffee is freshly roasted and processed to perfection. What makes their product stand out is their blend of freshly-grounded coffee powder and their “flavour and freshness locking crystals” which gives their customers a ‘best in class’ taste experience when it comes to instant coffee.
Nescafe
Being the first brand in India to make us fall in love with coffee, a classic brand like Nescafe needs no further introduction. As one of the oldest coffee companies in India, it has over 75 years of experience in working closely with coffee farmers in our country. The brand also helps them grow sustainable coffee through improved cropping techniques and produce delicious coffee through their unique selecting, roasting and blending methods. It’s the unmistakable flavour and wonderful aroma of Nescafe which makes it one of our favourite instant coffees.
BRU
Being one of the largest coffee producers in India, BRU was launched in 1968 as the country’s first coffee product that is mixed with the roasted roots of chicory (a blue-coloured, Mediterranean plant with a woody essence, typically used for reducing the bitterness of beans). The coffee is further made from the choicest of robusta beans, selected from the best plantations in India and then, roasted to perfection to serve you a cup of rich, irresistible drink. BRU-d with love and blended with passion, it offers four distinct kinds of authentic flavours to choose from – BRU Instant, BRU Gold Instant, BRU Green Label and BRU Select Filter coffee.
Beanies
If you wish to create super-smooth and delicious lattes, frappes and macchiatos at home in minutes, count on Beanies to give you the best of its kind. Their flavourful instant coffee uses a perfect blend of Arabica and Robusta beans, handpicked from the best coffee estates in the world and blend them with lip-smacking flavours to make your coffee experiences more exciting. So, break the monotony of your everyday cup of coffee and add some flavour to your life with Country Bean’s interesting choices like Berry, Caramel, Choco-Orange, Hazelnut, etc.
Lavazza
In Italian families, a break just wouldn’t be perfect enough until it’s enjoyed alongside the pleasure of a good coffee. As a pioneer of Italian espressos in the world, this is exactly the kind of magic that Lavazza aims to create in our daily moments. Handpicked from the best plantations of South America and Africa, roasted and processed to perfection in Settimo Torinese, Italy, this coffee produces an unmistakable aroma that envelops your senses with notes of chocolate and lets you indulge in the well-rounded roasted flavour of its delicious brew.
The Indian Bean
Craving a freshly-brewed cuppa that brims of the earthy, authentic flavours of India? Instead of buying beans straight from the coffee estates in other parts of the world, the founders of this brand travelled from Nepal to the hidden hills of Kodagu and Kodi and found a treasure trove of the most incredible coffee beans to give you unforgettable coffee. The most loved creation of this brand is their Bello Coffee which exhibits notes of mild chocolate, hints of spice and toast with a lemon finish. So, immerse yourselves in a whiff of sweetness, reminiscent of zesty fruits and spices. One sip of it’s bittersweet, roasted coffee is enough to transport you to the paradise of the Western Ghats in India.
Seven Beans Coffee Company
Through their high-quality coffee beans, sourced directly from the choicest of southern coffee farms in India, Seven Beans Coffee ensures a luxurious, gourmet coffee experience for all its consumers. All thanks to their rockstar roastmaster, Dr Dante Cagliari, a connoisseur of gourmet Italian coffee, who was the man behind this brand’s pursuit of blending perfection. So, if you’re looking to try something new, their signature flavour, “Mishta” – Single Origin Monsooned Malabar with delicious notes of buttery caramel and white chocolate is worth swooning over. This medium-roast coffee can be brewed and enjoyed either as a French press coffee, Aeropress coffee or a classic, cold coffee too.
So, what does your favourite cup of happiness look like?
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