Varanasi :
The week-long international trade fair organised in the heart of the city at Beniabagh is all about ‘Make in India’ offering a variety of products ranging from handloom to handicrafts and others from different state pavilions. But the main attraction of the event was the exclusive stall put up by the Coffee Board of Government of India offering the taste of palatable Indian coffee varieties.
Intrigued buyers were seen congregating at the coffee stall, seeking details of preparation of filtered south Indian coffee from the staff and also savouring a cuppa of ‘filtered’ coffee. Some were even seen grabbing free samples available at the stall.
“Several local buyers thronged the trade fair and ensured to give us a visit and inquire about the specialty of coffee, its distinct method of preparation and how it sets itself apart from the packaged coffee of various brands,” assistant secretary of Indian Coffee House, South Black, Coffee Board of India, HM Nagraj told TOI on Saturday. “We are aware that Indian coffee is not as much popular in Northern India, hence our main purpose is to promote the Indian filtered coffee among North Indians,” he added.
Explaining about the kinds of coffee and the method of preparation, Nagraj said, “There are two kinds of coffee beans, arabica and robusta, grown in hills of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. The coffee beans processed after curing works are available in various grades and the method of preparation is simple and one-of-its-kind.” The coffee is brewed in two cylindrical cups of a metal device, one of which that rests at the vertex is loaded with freshly ground coffee with small outlets at the bottom to filter the brewed coffee. Boiling water is then added to grounded coffee and after compression, the decoction is mixed with sugar and boiling milk, he explained.
At this stall the Indian coffee packets are available in 100g, 200g and 500g and are priced at Rs 400 per kg. “Our stall has become more of an eye-catcher at the fair and we are getting suggestions from the buyers and visitors to open an outlet here in the city,” said Nagraj.
Suyash Bajpayee, a visitor at the stall said, “The coffee tantalized my taste buds and I am glad to have visited the stall where I got to learn so much about the varieties of Indian coffee beans.” Another visitor Abhishek Mishra said, “This coffee is a perfect example of the ‘Taste in India’, ‘Made in India’.” A local resident, Brihaspati Bhattacharya, was pleased by the hospitality at the stall and thanked the staff for giving detailed information about coffee.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / by Punkhuri Kapoor, TNN / August 23rd, 2015
