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HOT MADRAS CAFÉ


As I said in my last blog, Chennai is little different than other cities in India. I have traveled all over India from North to South and East to West, and can say that small tea stalls (Chai tapari) are very common at all the places. But Chennai is exception to this. Here, I found equal number of coffee shops. Best part is coffee tastes very good and that too at very affordable rates. Before coming to Chennai coffee was an occasional beverage to me, but now I cannot imagine my day start without cup of that heavenly, tasty and sweet sip of coffee. This is also the reason, I decided to name this blog as hot madras cafe, devoted to my experience in Chennai.

Coffee is the part of tradition in south India. In all the four Dravidian states (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala & Tamil Nadu). In south India coffee dates back to 17th century when one of the sufi saint brought coffee beans from middle east to Karnataka where he settled. Later it became famous under British rule in south India.

So what is so spatial about coffee here? Generally coffee in other parts of India is made by coffee powder by usual methods. But, in south Indian way of making the coffee, typical filter is used. Dark and sweet coffee syrup is extracted from fresh coffee beans, also known as brewed coffee. And then comes the unique style in which coffee is served. It is served in wide shiny steel saucer and small steel glass. First they put 1-2 table spoon of sugar in the glass, add some drops of brewed coffee in it and finally milk. After this they pour back and forth coffee from glass to saucer. This helps to dissolve sugar, cool down coffee and aerate it. Of course many people add their style while mixing coffee. So pouring can be as high as 2 meters. And here is sweet cup of coffee is ready for you. :)


When I came to Chennai I was not aware of coffee here. It surprises me every day by its taste and freshness that it adds to the morning. While writing this is about to sunrise here and I am waiting for my cup of coffee…So how was your experience?


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