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Bringing coffee to your table

Have a sip The book takes you through a journey of the process of coffee

Coffee Gyan published by Macmillan India Limited and the Coffee Board makes for a quick and light read. It takes you through a journey of the process of coffee cultivation, curing, varieties, and global areas of cultivat ion.

Interesting photographs of women drying and pulping washed coffee provides the reader with an evocative picture. Even snapshots of the people from Coorg, or a tribal woman of Wayanad, gives the idea of people who work on the cultivation. An essay “Over a cup of coffee” has Anita Nair’s literary flair brim over the cup.

“Slurp, swirl and spit” is how the chapter on the expertise of coffee tasting begins. Ramanujan Sridhar’s “Mylapore musings” and Aparna Datta’s “Coffee newbie to coffee nerd” among others gives some more personalised coffee experiences and perspectives.

Pictures of a traditional Indian roaster and grinder give a historical touch, gradually evolving into modern industrial grinders.

The book moves onto brewing methods and equipment. The book takes an advertising turn with photographs of brands Barista, Café Coffee Day, Torani, Nescafe drinks and models posing in “Serving” and “Expresso”.

These chapters track the booming trend of coffee culture with tempting shots of the coffee drinks with swirls of cream on top.

Retailing follows the marketing and selling of coffee-powder brands in stores, supermarkets and coffee-bars. “Coffee and Health” gives gyan about coffee’s benefits as seen through various studies, and coffee’s relation with diabetes and most commonly – “shift duty and night workers.” This condensed 152-page hardcover is priced at a whopping Rs. 1,500.

AYESHA MATTHAN

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