Kaapi it!

An exhilarating aroma, creamy golden brown froth, fulsome flavour and a lingering after taste – a steaming cup of filter coffee, nothing like it to refresh and stimulate one’s senses. Oru Kaapi – yes, that’s how coffee enthusiasts (from south India) shout out for this blissful drink. Filter kaapi, a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted beans is almost a cultural icon in south India. In the book Vendor of Sweets, author R.K. Narayan gives the readers a crash course on how to make honest south Indian filter coffee. On one of his visits to the United States, at a coffee counter, the author was asked: "Black or white?" "Neither," replied Narayan. "I want it brown which ought to be the colour of honest coffee. That's how we make it in South India where devotees of perfection in coffee assemble from all over the world."

Here’s to the Caffeine Kick
If you were to look up the telephone directory for the Mecca of filter coffee in Mumbai, it’s likely that you’d find all listings leading you to Matunga – the bastion of everything south Indian. Called the Mylapore of Mumbai, the sharp aroma of filter coffee wafts through the by-lanes of this bustling locality. Enter Mysore Concerns, a traditional establishment that has remained steady since 1939, that blends authentic filter kaapi for coffee lovers in Mumbai. Srikant Venkatram, the proud proprietor of this coffee citadel, where the coffee aroma has become a landmark in the prime area of King’s Circle, has been in the business for thirty-three years: “We get the raw seeds once a month from an auction in Bangalore. From selecting the seeds to roasting and grinding, everything is a part of the process, here at Mysore Concerns.”
The store blends fresh coffee every day from morning to night to retain the quality and taste of true filter coffee. Seeds like peaberry, plantation and robusta are blended in different proportions and roasted to a certain temperature since colour is an important element in authentic south Indian coffee. “Coffee seeds if under-roasted or over-roasted can be a problem. We take a lot of care in storing the seeds as they can easily absorb moisture,” says Srikant while elaborating on the mechanics of producing a perfect coffee blend. The store also prides itself in supplying fresh ground coffee powder to temples in the vicinity, hotels such as Mysore Café, canteens, marriage contractors and stores across the city. Illustrious south Indian personalities with a penchant for strong filter coffee like R.K.Laxman, Hariharan and IPS/IAS officers are regular coffee shoppers at Mysore Concerns. Srikant believes it is due to this trust and loyalty that Mysore Concerns has withstood the winds of competition.


Brewing art
“What is important is the resulting brew, which is probably the best in Mysore Café. A connoisseur of coffee would go to any length to brew it perfectly,” says Meena, an avid coffee drinker and a regular face at Mysore Café. Brewing coffee is an art which is mastered by practice, according to taste and colour preference. The brew that percolates down is called decoction, which can be strong or light depending on how many spoons of coffee powder is added to the filter. Typically, after pouring back and forth between the davarah (a wide metal saucer with lipped walls) and tumbler (a steel glass), coffee is swirled around gently inside the davarah to cool it and served to the patron. The ambience and aroma at Mysore Café virtually transports you out of Mumbai. “It is the flavour of piping hot filter coffee served traditionally with idlis and masala dosa that attracts me to this place,” says Karan, a young college lad. The café’s long innings, efficient service and consistency in the quality of filter kaapi has held its froth in a sea of latte and frappe. Kaapi, anyone?