Whether you depend on your morning cup of coffee or can’t relax without a cup of tea, your habits speak volumes about you. Even things as small as your perfect mug for the occasion.
A Brief History
An Islamic saint by the name of Baba Budan is credited with bringing coffee to India. He is said to have gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca. On his return journey, he smuggled seven coffee beans into India. He planted them in the hills of Karnataka, in southern India. Since then, India has been cultivating the seeds in the south. During British rule, coffee plantations thrived.
South India
Very simply put: South Indians are accustomed to drinking filter coffee (or kaapi as it is pronounced in the South). But not just any filter will do. It is called a tumbler and dabarah. It is a metal filter consisting of two nesting cups. The upper cup, the dabarah, holds the ground coffee and has holes to let the liquid drip down. The lower one catches the brewed coffee. Milk and sugar are then boiled together and combined with the coffee. In addition to the sugar, people also enjoy it with a bit of jaggery which is a raw sugar from India. The mixture is poured back and forth creating a nicely aerated, foamy coffee. This then gets served in the tumbler.
North India
North Indians are famous for their whipped coffee. This kind of coffee uses instant coffee powder combined with sugar and boiling water. This mixture gets beaten until it has a foamy consistency. In another glass, hot milk and water should be mixed well into a froth. Once the coffee mix is added, it settles on top until everything is combined. To shake it up, some people enjoy this kind of coffee with a dash of cocoa powder on top.
Trends
For a very long time, tea has been the drink of choice. In recent years, coffee has had a huge surge in popularity mostly among the younger generations. With its popularity, we have seen an increase in quality in terms of both taste and sustainability.
Coffee has become an experience, not something people only have at home. Variations of coffee like cold brew and iced lattes have definitely secured their place in India’s coffee culture.
International coffee chains like Starbucks have been taking a back seat to local coffee houses lately. Some of the more popular local chains are Third Wave Coffee, Haati Kaapi, and Sleepy Owl.
Fun Facts
- Even though you’ve probably heard it called a coffee bean, it is actually a berry.
- There is an International Coffee Day celebrated on October 1st every year. This started in 2015.
- Finland is the world’s largest consumer of coffee in the world.
- The Black Ivory Coffee is the most expensive type of coffee in the world. It costs $1,100 per kilogram.
- There are twelve coffee-producing states in India, but only three are considered traditional growing regions.
- The Guinness Book of World Records says the largest cup of coffee ever made was 22,739.14 liters. The record was set on June 15, 2019, in Colombia.
People get attached to the mug almost more than to their beverage of choice. Whatever you choose, Maatir is here with our collection of handcrafted and specially designed ceramic and terracotta mugs. We want to bring out your favorite memories of India along with your drink. Tell us your favorite coffee in the comments!
