Today while sipping my morning coffee, I realised I am a coffeeholic on the road to recovery. I am just kidding! I realised I needed to pen down something about my coffee love. Coffee is a driving force in people’s lives. Everyone loves the magical black brew or loves someone who is hopelessly addicted. I do, like accepting my OCD (obsessive coffee disorder), that this feeling is reciprocal to tea lovers.
Anyhow, I presume most of us know that it comes from the fruit of a coffee plant, whose botanical family name is Rubiaceae (Rooby- ea- see- you), which includes the genus ‘Coffea’. Let’s hope I’m clear so far because there are more than 120 types of Coffea species (according to my knowledge, maybe more than that). Although I am addicted to coffee, I only know two names of this 120+ Coffea species-Coffea Arabica & Coffea Canephora. Quite disappointing, I recognise. And to add insult to injury, my Bestie Utkarsh, another OCD patient, has added less popular species to our list: Coffea Liberica and Coffea Excelsa. Why didn’t I know we had about the same variety anyway? Well, I’m familiar with four species now, as are you.
We can dig into the product and byproduct of the species. But I prefer to jump because it’s too geeky. But I will give a heads up to my favourite bean Arabica. It is a product of two mixtures of Coffea Canephora (Robusta)& Coffea Eugenides( so now we know six genera out of 120 species). Robusta has a bitter flavour with a higher caffeine content, requiring Eugenides to create Arabica is tasty. Although the birthplace of Robusta is unknown, some say southern Sudan, and others say Ethiopia. From a technical point of view, Arabica is nearly like a miracle, of which we are happy.
Writing about my favourite drink, I realised it also has an extensive history. I will speak about Indian coffee, whose history dates back to about 1600 AD. It started by planting seven Mocha seeds by the legendary saint Baba Budan. It was buried in the courtyard of his hermitage Chikmagalur, Karnataka. Baba Budan discovered coffee in the form of Qahwa1, a dark and sweet liquid. On his way to his legendary trip to Mocha, Yemen’s port town dominates the Red Sea. He found the drink so refreshing that he secretly fetched seven Mocha beans from Mocha. He attached them to his chest since the Arabs were highly protective of this industry.
These coffee plants remained a garden of curiosity before they gradually extended as garden plantings. And later to the hills of what is now known as Baba Budan Hills. Pretty fascinating! Another enthralling concept is that they are grown under a ‘well-defined two-tier shade canopy of evergreen leguminous trees.’ And this is done solely in India. And these zones are among the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. And have no parallel anywhere in the world.
However, commercial coffee plantations started in the 18th century. An ambitious and enterprising British manager named JH Jolly felt that the coffee beans growing in the Chandragiri plantations had huge potential. He petitioned the Mysore government for 40 acres of land for production. And the decision led to a successful business. And later, it encouraged more people to leap into the growing industry. It has led to widespread planting throughout the region. Slow but steady, a dynamic ecosystem has also begun to evolve.
Well, I have always loved coffee. If you want my opinion, I don’t remember when I fell in love, but I just did. However, having delved into history, I guess my love is pure. And everything is so healing, the aroma, the taste, the flavour. And I am sure, like me, you might have asked yourselves what is it that we love so much? How can anyone enjoy it so much? I think there’s just something so appealing about the smell of coffee. It makes me feel refreshed. I genuinely adore it. It was never something that I had to acquire, thus to speak. I love the taste without cream and sugar, to be frank.
The Indian coffee industry has developed rapidly. And has also gained a distinctive identity in the world card. We are home to currently 16unique coffee varieties. Among them, 13 specific coffee-producing regions are, mainly in the southern part of the country, few in the northeast and eastern ghats. Indian coffees fit both cappuccinos and espressos. More famous for its subtle taste and stimulating intensity.
Some of the finest varieties of coffee beans grown in India are Arabica and Robustas. One of its kind is Kents Coffee Bean. It is the first variety of Arabica coffee cultivated in India. It was named after L. P. Kent, a British planter. He chose the first plant of the Doddengudda Estate in Mysore. Although it grows only in some areas, the Kents coffee is known for its exceptional quality.
Another would be S.795 Coffee, known for its superior quality and high yields. It has fat beans and improved tolerance to leaf rust. It is a balanced mug with subtle notes of mocha. In Robusta -CSR is also a good option. Well, there’s more variety; I tried those out too.
I struggled with a bothersome caffeine crash. However, it always turned out to be a modern elixir. It is added with numerous health benefits. Since rich in antioxidants, it adds beneficial nutrients that can enhance your health. Moreover, a small amount of caffeine in a cup omits a considerable amount of energy. And enough mental stimulation for us to embrace the challenges of the day.
Above all, coffee predominates in many cultures. Hence it has quickly become an accepted addiction. Above all, we crave a hot cup of piping every day. It is more a way of life now. Probably because it has become synonymous with calm and intellectual conversations, even if it is not a seasonal beverage, nothing can beat the winters. So let’s take our cup of hot coffee. And try out a new flavour in this perfect season.