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July 23, 2007

Filter Coffee


Filter coffee! Whatever I may do, however much I may try, I am not able to recreate the magic of coffee that is served at my mother's place. As a child, I wasn't allowed it. I once threw a tantrum at someone's place because H got to drink coffee while I didn't. (The 5 year age gap meant nothing, you see.) And so, the story goes that the next time we were visiting the same people, even though I was asleep, Amma woke me up and gave me coffee so I wouldn't ever crib again.



At our place, coffee is always brewed fresh. I've found that in many homes, it is kept overnight to brew and that's a complete no-no at ours. Amma has this huge filter from Revere Ware and I remember the aroma that spread throughout the house each morning when boiling hot water was poured over pressed coffee powder.



Over the years, we've switched to the electric coffee makers and regardless of what anyone says, the coffee is just as good. Our blend is 80:20, Peaberry to Plantation "A". Whatever that may be. Someday I'll do my research.


Here's how I brew my daily cuppa in a typical filter:


1/8 cup Coffee Powder (Peaberry 80: Plantation "A" 20)

125 ml Water, boiling hot

150 ml Milk

3/4 tsp Sugar


Place the coffee powder in the top portion of the filter. Use a flat bottomed vessel (like a tumbler) to press the powder down firmly. Place the inverted umbrella like apparatus over the coffee.


Put the sugar in the bottom portion of the filter. Place the top portion over this. Pour the boiling hot water over this and cover with the lid.


When all the water has seeped into the bottom portion, boil the milk in a small vessel. Pour the decoction into the milk and heat the mixture if needed. Sip your coffee leisurely for a wonderful start to the day.


I use only 100% pure coffee even though people say that the chicory version tastes best. When I make coffee in the electric coffee maker, I press the coffee into the filter and add sugar in the bottom vessel. I then add plain water into the coffee maker and my coffee is ready in 5 minutes. The aroma that fills the house is simply superb.


I cannot drink tea. I make it for husband each morning and tend to look at tea as something I will drink when my stomach is really upset... and then, too, only black! But coffee: anyday and at any time. I stick to one cup a day. And that really gets me going.

20 comments:

Viji said...

Nice post. I still use filter only for two of us Raaga and I never reheat once the decotion is mixed. Its really tastes good. I have regular visitors for this coffee alone including americans :) But I stopped my morning coffee also now a days. Only weekends :) Viji

Coffee said...

I have just come back from work and all I crave for now is this cuppa! :) I stopped drinking filter coffee since I was becoming a real addict! Went back to instant coffee :( Only one cup a day :(

Raaga said...

@Viji: Only weekends?? How come? I agree though that there is nothing like freshly brewed coffee.

@Coffee: I have no addictions :-) I like my coffee in the morning... but don't HAVE to drink it. I started having 6 cups at work when I was barely 23 and then resolved to stop after the first cup at home, if at all!

Poonam said...

Wow! Filter coffee is my favorite....Although I am bigger "desi chai" fan, a cup of filter coffee is always exciting. Nice blog too!!

-Poonam

archana said...

I was staying close to Coonoor and your post reminds me of that coffee aroma. Oh it was lovely. I had even bought a small steel filter and we used to get fresh coffee ground . You will not believe but we had stopped drinking tea, except the nilgiri tea.

FH said...

My husband and mom are both Coffee planters kids,never used instant coffee pd.They grow Arabica and use it mixed with Chicory in the estates.
Here ,every morning he makes coffee with precision.I just have a cup in the morning,that's it.He has it anytime!:D
Looks great there,love the traditional steel cup!:)

Sharmi said...

davara mattum missing!! I also miss my grandmother's and attai's coffee. I too could could never get the taste. today have to take out my filter and make some. romba naal achu.

Richa said...

hey, filter coffee is my fav :) ur post reminds me of zillions of cups of coffee i sipped at ram ashray, sundar, mani's & so on... ;)

Anonymous said...

indians kku coffee poda solli yaa tharanum...

Sia said...

girl, i am having this nagging headache sitting here in my office and i would die to have one big glass of strong filter coffee...

bee said...

i so needed a recipe like this. i make awful coffee.

thanks.

Raaga said...

@Poonam: Desi Chai? With masala and all? I can have that, but I so have to be in the modd for that.

@Archana: Those smells are awesome... I remember the shopping centre at IIT Madras, it was always filled with the aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee.

Raaga said...

@Asha: I was hoping to convert Sachin into a coffee drinker within one year of marriage. But after I moved here, I thought, we live but once, why not allow him to enjoy his tea while I savour my coffee :-)

@Sharmi: Davara ille inge. Ellam ennoda Bangalore veetula vittutten. There's a restaurant called Naivedyam close to home. When we go there, I mix the coffee and sugar using the davara that the rest of Delhi/Gurgaon just looks on :-)

Raaga said...

@Richa: Don't remind me... here we have just one place, Naivedyam, apart from home where I get good filter coffee.

@Chill: Yaaru sonna ennoda blog Indians kku mattum nnu ;-)

@Sia: Come on over and I'll treat you to a nice tumbler of coffee.

@Bee: I doubt you can make awful anything. But thanks anyway :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Raaga, Our day starts with filter coffee. The aroma of the fresh decoction ummmm I enjoy it.

Sharmi said...

oh neivedyam restaurant with my blog name!!

Suganya said...

We are coffee addicts here. Love the aroma of freshly brewed decoction.

Raaga said...

@Lakshmi: It fills the house and wakes you up (even if you're already up) doesn't it?

@Sharmi: Yep yep...a restaurant with your blog name... and a very good one too.

@Suganya: Great to hear that :-)

Siri said...

I must tell u, my dad makes the best coffee.. and urs look just like my dad's... got reminded of him..:D

Hugs,
Siri

Meira said...

I went looking for filter coffee in gurgaon and google sent me to your blog :)
I usually flick mom's powder ( 70:30 coffee:chicory) but have been looking for some good place here in Gurgaon. Any suggestions?