The Immeasurable Solace Found in a Cup of Afternoon Coffee
The Immeasurable Solace Found in a Cup of Afternoon Coffee
Coffee in Chennai
The main concert of the evening is scheduled to begin only at half-past six, but the crowds are already swirling outside the auditorium by five o’clock. They pour through the halls and make their way directly to the courtyard, where the fragrance of jasmine jostles with that of golden-brown savouries sizzling in large cauldrons of oil. This is the time for “tiffin,” that famous Indian meal which serves to satiate mid-afternoon food cravings. Heaps of crisp snacks in various hues and shapes will be consumed, followed by a mandatory tumbler of steaming filter coffee, the beverage that fuels most of the southern Indian city of Chennai.
The month of December is a time of celebration in Chennai. Taking advantage of the mild weather that passes for winter here, the concert halls in the city come alive as long days of classical music and dance performances bring in crowds from all over the world. However, the attraction does not lie in the concerts alone; canteens play a vital role in the entire experience, as underscored in the columns devoted to them in special newspaper supplements.
I see evidence of this myself as I wait by the counter, watching women in rustling silk sarees and men in starched cotton kurtas snap up spots at the long tables. They make rapid conversation about singers and their wardrobes, breaking bits off fresh, mildly spiced snacks served on plantain leaves. Others ponder over a menu scribbled on a whiteboard, a list of light snacks and sweets dripping with clarified butter; but there is barely any hesitation when it comes to selecting the beverage. Very few would dare to turn their noses up at the universal favorite, piping hot filter coffee. While the caterer doesn’t altogether eschew chocolate or almond milk, he knows that the quality of his filter coffee has the power to make or destroy his reputation.
To a city that whips out woolen scarves and sweaters at the slightest nip in the air, hot tumblers of filter coffee offer immeasurable solace and warmth at the onset of “winter.” A rich decoction is made in cylindrical filters from coffee powder obtained from beans combined and ground to adhere to a magic formula. This liquid is poured into small tumblers of brass or steel, topped with milk, and lightly sugared. The resulting blend is artfully mixed to produce a rich, frothy concoction, suited to the exacting tastes of discerning tongues.
I look at my watch and realize that the concert will start in fifteen minutes. However, the buzz in the canteen hasn’t lessened. If anything, this hour of food and coffee seems like the first half of a much-awaited evening with friends, a curtain raiser to the main show. I am quite willing to bet that the conclusion of the concert will not signal the end of the day for most of the audience. The canteen will still be open at nine, and there will be one last tumbler of coffee to drink.