Myths and truths of coffee

I consider myself an expert in coffee and coffee related things... coz I tend to overrate myself. But on this topic I am much closer to the myth than I am on others.

I breathe and live coffee... I would trade anything that I have for a cup of good coffee... and if you don’t believe me… try me.

I tasted my first coffee when I was in my kindergarten and have never been as thankful. Since then, in my daily routine, I spend about 4 hours of the pointless 14 hrs that I am awake making and drinking coffee... and to the people who don’t know the norm its about 5-6 cups of coffee depending on how fast you drink it.

In face of these years of experience, I declare myself an authority in coffee and in my authority I see my responsibility educating you regarding the myths and truth of coffee.

Now I know this is a very controversial topic and some of my opinions might be debated and challenged and to those people who do, you need to know that your take on what I say here is as good as an empty cup of coffee to me (and for non-coffee lovers out there it means I am just not interested).

There is a lot that is said about coffee, but one of the most well documented concerns about coffee is its ill effects to ones health. Let us try to reason this out this from logical point of view. There has been no argument that coffee is a stimulant. Apparently it is this property of coffee that causes one to encounter problems with it… at least that’s what we have been led to believe.

Physicians find it very easy to blame any ill effect to coffee coz of two reasons. One, almost everyone drinks coffee and two, no one gives it up. So any half brained doctor who bunked classes and spent time hitting on cute nurses instead of learning how to diagnose a cause would find refuge in blaming coffee for it. If coffee was really a cause for concern why would cafeterias in hospitals serve it? Why would doctors themselves consume it? Why doesn’t the govt slap huge taxes on it as in the case of smokes? Why wouldn’t the coffee packs carry a statutory warning?

Think about it…

I know a few of you reading this especially doctors would argue that it’s all a matter of regulation.

Believe me… There is no thing as regulated coffee… just as there is no thing as regulated TV… but that again is a whole other discussion.

Coffee chains… now there is an example of stores or more appropriately people who ride their success on just a name. Coffee chains are glamorized benches that sell the image of coffee rather than coffee. They are more a lifestyle than a coffee shop. People like to be seen in coffee days and baristas and starbucks and they like to see themselves in them. It gives them a fake sense of what people call hip and hep. These places are about selling coffee as much as statutory warning on smokes is about warnings. I can accidentally spill some coffee beans and milk on the floor and make better coffee than any starbucks or coffee day. If you think I am being too critical then think about this… cold coffee. Now does that at all make sense to any coffee lover? The whole essence of coffee is to have it dark, have it strong and have it hot. It’s just a clever ruse by the coffee chains to rope in the unenlightened crowd to live their lifestyle. I just have one last thing to say to rest my case on how these coffee houses have no idea about the true feel of coffee… They sell teas.

In my opinion coffee are very much like women (girls out there can relate the same to guys). A good cup of coffee such like a dawara of filter kaapi is like the wife everyone dreams of having… calm, strong and full of life. I can envision a cup of filter kaapi to be woman of substance, draped in a traditional saree, a mile long hair with jasmine flowers hanging thru its length, a nose ring shining radiantly but still quite not as brilliant as the radiance of her face, long earrings that would shine in the radiance and a saandhu bottu on her forehead that defines the perfect symmetry of her beauty delivering the final blow and sweeping you off your feet. If you think that’s too traditional for ones choice... pour the same in coffee mug or a cup… It would still taste the same… just as the perfect cup of coffee the perfect woman will knock you off your feet in any form… modern or traditional. Now that is the true feel of coffee.

A TRUE PATRIOT?

From the day that I decided to pursue my career in a MNC, there was one thing that always ran through my mind.. one question.. the answer to which I still am very unsure of.

I know what i would want the answer to the question to be.. I know what would answer if anyone asked me the question.. I know what anyone would answer if asked the same question.. but i realise sometimes that I have never given it a serious thought. My answer to the question shrouded with glibness until recently.

The question... am I a TRUE PATRIOT?

During my childhood, I had very strong ambition to join the army. I was inspired the stories of gallantry and sacrifice for one's country and I also wanted to make a difference. But as the years went by, my emotions went through a transition.

I still am deeply patriotic but the desire and the drive to make a difference seems to have lost its track. As I got better qualified, I started to aspire for the luxuries that I could afford with it. I was motivated by the competition around me to thrive in terms of comfort and stature as a successful student. This transition was gradual and subconscious. The transition was from a true patriot to a mere patriot.

I still am patriotic. I will stand up for my country in any argument and I will always support my country in each and everything, no matter how it fares. But what bothers me is whether this emotion is a reflection of my selfish desire that I and everything associated with me should excel or is it a true selfless emotion for the nation. This is a very tough and a scary question to answer.

Within my community there is always discussions on the state of affairs in my country and most of the time it is a discussion how sordid the state is. I have become one of those talkers who merely engage themselves in the discussion but never really tried to do something abt it.

I am a patriot there is no doubt abt it, but the question on whether I am a true patriot is still to be answered.