Bean there, done that
We’re in interesting times where a tea growing nation like ours is high on coffee. A milestone in this coffee culture is the coffee festival happening in the city. IICF 2012 — The Indian International Coffee Festival, being held at The Lalit in Connaught Place, has a lot to offer any coffee lover. From discussions revolving around the latest trends in coffee market and retailing in India, renowned experts will also give tips on how to brew that coffee right!
“Today coffee has out stepped our expectations in the North. If you would have asked a young professional about espresso five years ago, he wouldn’t know, and today we’re arguing about cappuccinos in cafes. Café culture has spread like wildfire. When I come here now, I don’t need to introduce coffee to anyone but I need to make sure that they take some suggestions from the workshops at the festival. We’re trying to get them to inculcate the same experience at home. We want them to come and learn how to roast, grind it, and experiment with it,” says India Coffee Trust president Anil Kumar Bhandari.
It’s interesting to see how the character of coffee has changed from just a traditional beverage consumed mainly in Southern India to a trendy beverage with a national presence. Consumed in various forms, coffee lovers tell us how they understand coffee like never before.
A regular at Costa, Manisha Yadav tells us, “We brew coffee at home on a daily basis. Times have changed so much that even when you’re enjoying a regular Mocha, you know the exact flavour you’re looking for. If I want a Mocha, I usually ask for less sugar, and dark coffee. We know our coffee much more than ever before.”
If you’re a coffee lover, this festival has a lot on offer.
Asha Dhingra, a government employee plans to attend the workshops and says, “As a lover of coffee drinks, you must know the types of coffee drinks that are available and can be prepared at home. I want to know about the favourite coffees enjoyed by lovers of coffee around the world. For instance, Espresso is preferred by many coffee connoisseurs around the world. But if you look at it, it’s just a regular black coffee. So I want to know variations of espresso and other coffee.”
Manager from one of the coffee hubs in the city tells us how important these festivals are for a city with a thriving coffee culture. “It’s an important festival, not just for coffee lovers but promoters of the drink as well. Often when people come to us, they know little about Irish coffee or a simple latte or the difference between mocha and Americano. It’s important to create awareness,” says the official.
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