COFFEE LOVERS SPECIAL....SPILL THE BEANS

SPILL THE BEANS 

Coffee can have as many notes as wine or whisky and a large number of

aficionados, tired of the tasteless java served at cafes don’t mind splurging on espresso machines and expensive blends

    The dinner party at the Gurgaon penthouse was just winding down. Belvedere Black had flowed just as easily as laughter and the table was laden with goodies that are to be found more commonly in fine-dining restaurants than household kitchens. Amrut Brar, looked around the room that included former CEOs, entrepreneurs, accountants and teenagers and asked, “Coffee, anyone?”
    In the good old days, the help would’ve been summoned and equal measures of coffee powder and sugar would be quickly whipped into a creamy paste to make homemade cappuccino. This time though, Brar was keen to play the perfect host. He proudly walked to his bar, popped a capsule into a Nespresso, and within seconds, held in his hand a fragrant shot of espresso.
    “Don’t you just love the smell? Fifteen seconds, and you’ve got as close to a barista espresso as you can get at home,” Brar joyously expresses. “This is the best thing to have happened to me even though it costs a bomb,” he adds with a laugh.
    Brar isn’t an exception. Aditi Kotak, 29-year-old Mumbai resident, who shelled out nearly Rs 40,000 for her Nespresso is another member of the espresso-athome fan club. “The Nespresso coffee is one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had and that played a big role in my decision,” she says. Also, the fact that it’s great for entertaining friends post-dinner, is a big boon.
    Tired of the java that one gets at Café Coffee Days and Baristas, a large number of Indians are turning to finding that perfect cup of coffee. And they don’t mind paying for it.
    Nestle’s patented coffee-cranking machine, Nespresso — it costs anything from Rs 15,000 to upto Rs 2.2 lakh at Miele and has turned mere drinkers into coffee snobs — will set you back Rs 55 per cup of quick, tasty espresso with a lovely crema. Nespresso machines brew espresso from coffee capsules, a type of pre-apportioned single-use container of ground coffee and flavourings.
    Switzerland-based Nestle is by far the world’s biggest coffee maker with a 22 per cent share, underpinned by its half share of the instant market. The George Clooney-marketed system has proved a hit with espresso coffee lovers across the world and is Nestle’s fastest-growing big brand. Other known brands like Senseo and Keurig have struggled to match Nespresso’s hype but have few loyal fans.
    In India, where for many, coffee equals cappuccino, growth is slow but the hustle for Nespresso capsules and the launch of new espresso machines by CCD and Lavazza and also by Philips Seico last week, is proof that the tide is turning.
    Sunalini K Menon, Asia’s first woman professional in the field of coffee tasting or coffee cupping, still remembers the rant by a customer at a CCD when he paid Rs 35 for an espresso.
    “This particular customer was belligerent that the café staff had fleeced him because they gave him a tiny cup of black coffee with no milk and no sugar. Today people no longer frown over an espresso. The perception of coffee has undergone a tremendous change in this country,” points out Menon, who is also quality ombudsman of the Specialty Coffee Association of India.
    India might be the fifth largest producer of coffee in the world but difference in attitude to coffee varies from one corner of the country to another. South India loves its kaapi with a chicory flavour while North Indians are pernickety about their cup of tea but drink a rubbish cup of coffee without complaining.
    “Making coffee at home is not a trend that has caught on in North India but it’s slowly changing,” adds Menon. Moreover, there are far more brands available down South than even in Delhi. “You really have to search for good roasted coffee beans in Delhi, with the exception of probably Devan’s,” she adds. Devan’s Coffee and Tea (P) Ltd. is Delhi’s premium coffee and tea supplier.
    Genevieve Tearle, marketing director, domestic appliances and coffee, Philips India, is particularly hopeful. “Coffee attitudes have changed immensely in this country. CCD and Baristas have shown India the possibilities with coffee. There is more disposable income, more knowledge and willingness to try new experiences. People now want to roast the beans themselves and buying a coffee machine is par for the course for many,” she explains the reasoning behind launching three machines to meet the needs of all stratas of consumers.
    The Philips Seico machines can make everything from cappuccino and espressos to lattes and macchiatos. The most affordable option, the Manual Espresso Poemia Stainless Steel, will set you back by Rs 13, 995 while the Intelia One Touch Cappuccino, which instantly grinds coffee beans and froths milk to give you a creamy cappuccino at the touch of a button, can make you a popular friend for just Rs 74,995. “All three models are selling very well,” is all that Tearle is ready to offer when asked about sales figures. So addictive is a cup of good coffee that even the difficulty in sourcing either capsules or special blends can’t dissuade people from buying the machines. Nespresso capsules are sold exclusively by Nespresso and are more expensive than portions of ground coffee purchased “loose” and the cost per serving is up to three times higher than that of alternative brewing methods. Each capsule contains 5-6 grams of ground coffee and makes one cup of coffee. Depending on the length of the pour the capsule is designed for 40ml for an espresso shot, or 110ml for a lungo (long) pour. Kotak doesn’t mind the extra effort. “There are certain people that stock the capsules in India, such as Harsha Kilachand, and so it’s not too hard to source them once you know where to get them from. There’s also the option of buying them when you’re travelling or friends are travelling abroad,” she says. Philips gives you a list of places where you can either buy the recommended blends or beans or you can just place an order at the Philips store. “We offer a total solution. We tell you where to buy it from, we come and install it at home for you. Anything you need,” Tearle states.
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