Enjoy your coffee
Coffee as a beverage in Kashmir is a relatively recent entrant and the land of “Noon Chay” and “Kahwa” is steadily getting into a coffee age. The city of Srinagar has several places to get coffee in style. Some of the names which come to my mind are: Black Bear Brew, Bistro Boulevard, Chai Jaai, Gulshan-The Book Shop the Coffee Shop, Auburn by Arwa, 14th Avenue Café and Grill, Jhelum Café and many more.
History of coffee is centuries old. According to a legend it was discovered by Kaldi, an Ethiopian goat herder around 800 AD. He observed his goats becoming energetic after eating red coffee cherries and that brought these seeds into limelight. Thus, the origin of coffee has been traced to the Arabian Peninsula starting from Ethiopia followed by Yemen. It was known in Mecca in the 15th century and was used as an agent to increase concentration during prayers by its stimulating effect.
Its usage and influence spread steadily in the neighboring countries. The spread had some hiccups when it reached Turkey where the Ottoman and Mamluk societies had to confirm whether its use was permissible as per the teachings of Quran. Once it was declared to be halal its use spread as an important trading item through the commercial Mediterranean routes. 16th-century Islamic scholar Ibn Hajr al Hayatami notes in his writings a beverage called qahwa developed from a tree in the Zeila region located in the Horn of Africa.
Coffee was first exported from Ethiopia to Yemen by Somali merchants from Berbera and Zeila in modern-day Somaliland, which was procured from Harar and the Abyssinian interior. It then spread to Western Europe by the late 17th century, especially in Holland, England, and Germany. One of the earliest cultivations of coffee in the American lands was when Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to Martinique (Caribbean Islands) in 1720. These beans later sprouted 18,680 coffee trees which enabled its spread to other Caribbean islands and also to Mexico. By 1788, Saint-Domingue supplied half the world's coffee.
By 1852, Brazil became the world's largest producer of coffee and has held that status ever since. The period since 1950 saw the widening of the playing field owing to the emergence of several other major producers, notably Colombia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and Vietnam; the latter overtook Colombia and became the second-largest producer in 1999. Modern production techniques along with the mass productization of coffee has made it a household item today.
Coffee was introduced to India in the 17th century by an Indian pilgrim named Baba Budan, who smuggled seven coffee beans (seven perceived as important number in Muslim culture) from Yemen to the hills of Karnataka. Legend has it that Baba Budan hid the beans in his beard while returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1670. The beans were planted in the Chandra Drona Giri hills of Chikkamagaluru, which are now known as the Baba Budangiri Hills. The Dutch helped spread coffee cultivation across India, and by the 19th century, British entrepreneurs converted forests into commercial plantations.
The India Coffee Board was established in 1907 to improve the quality of Indian coffee. In 1995, the coffee sector was liberalized, allowing growers to sell their produce wherever they chose. Today, India's coffee is grown in the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Karnataka produces the most coffee, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In recent years it has also spread to the North Eastern states. India processes coffee using both the wet and dry methods, and is known for its shade-grown coffee.
Most South Indians drink not pure coffee, but a mixture of coffee and chicory. Chicory, a native plant, is cultivated and grown in the Mediterranean regions of Spain, Greece, and Turkey. It became popular in Europe both on its own and as an additive to coffee. Over time, South Indian coffee has come to mean a mixture of coffee and chicory in varied ratios, anywhere from 80% coffee and 20% chicory powder to the more common 60-40 ratio. Chicory is grown in India - in Gujarat and UP since the soil and the climate suits it well.
Black Coffee vs Milk Coffee
Bold and untainted, black coffee is simply made with just water and beans. Roasts come in a variety of colours and flavours, yet remain classified as black coffee if no additions are included. Espresso shots stand out as one type of strong brewed beverage, created by pressing hot water through fine grounds at high pressure. Turkish Coffee does not use filters and as one drinks it the grounds settle at the bottom of the cup. This makes it more aromatic and has a bolder flavour. For those who prefer something sweeter or creamier, milk coffees such as Cappuccino, Latte, Americano and Mocha provide scrumptious options to enjoy - all without the added sugar! Sugar actually upsets the bitterness -sweetness balance, altering the overall taste profile. However, those who enjoy a sweeter flavour find it enhances their caffeine drinking experience.
Health Effects of Coffee:
There has been a lot of research done on the health aspects of coffee. A meta-analysis of 2017 showed that consuming 3 to 4 cups of coffee per day is more likely to improve the health outcomes rather than harm.
It does not cause indigestion but leads to increase in the gastro intestinal reflux. It leads to 16% reduction in all-cause mortality and a 20% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular causes. It, however, does not change the cancer mortality. It reduces the mortality of myocardial infarction, heart failure and lessens the chance of having high blood pressure with higher intake. The relationship is linear until 4 cups of coffee per day.
Regular coffee intake reduces the chances of getting diabetes mellitus by 9% with regular coffee and 6% by de-caffeinated one. Likewise regular consumption of coffee may support liver health and reduce the risk of some liver diseases like fatty liver.
The hazards associated with coffee are, anxiety and jitteriness. In chronic psychiatric patients the major active ingredient in coffee, is associated with anxiety. At high doses, typically greater than 300 mg, caffeine (more than 3 cups of coffee per day) can cause and worsen anxiety. Populations that may be most impacted by caffeine consumption are adolescents and people with anxiety disorders. Interestingly the likelihood of Parkinsonism is reduced in regular coffee drinkers. There are some research papers indicating the possibility of a beneficial relationship between coffee intake and reduced depression.
Tea vs Coffee: While both tea and coffee offer health benefits, coffee generally appears to have a slight edge in terms of potential health advantages due to its higher antioxidant content and potential links to reduced risk of certain diseases like type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's, while tea may be better for managing stress and anxiety thanks to its L-theanine content, which can promote relaxation without drowsiness; ultimately, the "better" choice depends on individual needs and preferences.
Prof Upendra Kaul, Founder Director Gauri Kaul Foundation
