Monthly Archives: April 2018

Yemeni ‘coffee hunter’ exports Mokha’s famed beans to US, Japan

Hussein Ahmed says that the secret behind his love for coffee comes from the smell of the beans which reminds him of his mother. (Supplied)
Hussein Ahmed says that the secret behind his love for coffee comes from the smell of the beans which reminds him of his mother. (Supplied)

Yemen’s famous coffee farms have been replaced by khat farms in recent years after coffee had an agricultural and economic priority.

Gradually, those coffee beans exports disappeared and weakened after it flourishing for centuries in Yemen. After all, “Mocha” gained its name after the Yemeni port city of Mokha, known for having been a point of contact between coffee lovers and farmers in Yemen.

In 2015, production fell from 55,000 coffee bags to 8,000 bags in exports, which urged farmers to seek replacement of coffee seeds with Khat or other crops.

Al Arabiya interviewed one young man who is trying to restore the original spirit of coffee by exporting the Yemeni origin beans to the world. Hussein Ahmed is a certified coffee connoisseur and holds the international taste certificate for coffee from the American Coffee Quality Grader.

But Hussein prefers to be called the “Coffee Hunter”.

Love story with caffeine
Hussein says that the secret behind his love for coffee comes from the smell of the beans which reminds him of his mother.

“I grew up in a family that loves coffee. Since early childhood, my mother asks me to go to the market to buy coffee and I used to enjoy this. When I was getting ready for school, my mother makes coffee and its smell filled the house. This scent was the source of my daily happiness. My mother’s coffee was my companion when I moved to Britain to study, where I visited a lot of coffee shops seeking to find the smell of my mother’s coffee. Unfortunately, I could not find the same smell which my mother used to prepare in my childhood,” Hussein told Al Arabiya.
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“At this point I became more interested in coffee in Britain. Ten years later, I returned home in late 2007 and settled in Sanaa. I worked in the software industry, but I noticed that our economy depended on consumption only, so I decided to produce the best of the Yemeni production. Thus, I focused on coffee,” he said.

Hussein would go on to spend more than a year traveling between the mountains of Yemen and the valleys looking for the legendary Yemeni coffee, and documented information and data as much as he could.

Japan and his first coffee shop
“My Japanese wife, who came to Yemen with me, she could not adapt with the life in Yemen. So we decided to immigrate to Japan where we decided to export the Yemeni coffee to Japan. We started to send samples to Japanese labs and made high scores in the tasting sessions. This is when passion turned into business. After I settled in Japan and started working in exporting the high quality Yemeni coffee beans to Japan. I opened the first coffee shop specialized in the Yemeni coffee in Tokyo in 2011,” he said.

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“In late 2013, I stopped the business and returned back to Yemen due to family issues. Then, I focused on exporting Yemeni coffee to the United States,” Hussein told Al Arabiya. “In 2014, I went to America for two years, during which I studied coffee tasting and got the international tasting certificate, and I established a trading company.”

Hussein revealed that there were some obstacles in the supply due to the instability of exchange rates, the difficulty of shipping charges, high operating costs, and the unavailability of oil derivatives and facilities for farmers.

How Khat contributed negatively to decline of Yemeni coffee
Hussein asserted that the major problem now in Yemen is due to the plantation of khat, which he said was a real environmental disaster as it drains most of the groundwater and goes to the fertile soil where coffee used to be grown on.

YemeniCoffee04KF09apr2018

As for the future of coffee in Yemen, Hussein confirmed the necessity of developing the quality of the production, marketing and establishing a center to develop the beans. Returning the Yemeni coffee to the international market, Hussein also added that it was important to have fair prices for the farmers and stopping the bad and unfair trades of Yemeni coffee beans.

source: http://www.english.alarabiya.net / Al Arabiya English / Home> Features / by Frash Shmsan, Al Arabiya English / Saturday – April 07th, 2018

Just more than coffee at Alchemy Roasters

Different blends at Alchemy Coffee Roasters
Different blends at Alchemy Coffee Roasters

It’s a pleasant Monday morning and we are driving on a quiet road in Jayanagar looking for Alchemy Coffee Roasters. Just as we are enjoying the greenery of the park adjacent to the road, we see bright lights shining through teal windows at the first turn of 36th Cross, and we spot the huge signboard of Alchemy Coffee Roasters just above the windows.

Coffee fix
As we had heard so many good things about Alchemy, we are all charged up for some amazing coffee. But we feel something is amiss when we enter the premises. Unlike a regular coffee shop that smells of coffee, Alchemy doesn’t smell like one. For a place that claims to be a coffee roastery, this is a bit odd. But the interesting interiors — a large wooden table for big groups, a huge coffee display cabinet, vintage coffee crushers and tungsten bulbs that hang low from the ceiling — sort of make up for this lack of sensory bliss.

We settle down in one corner of the restaurant to get a complete view, and it seems like some thought has been put into it. We look at the menu expecting the same, but the coffee menu does not have too many options. We order the Salted Caramel Latte, Bon Bon Coffee, Latte Di Mandorla from hot coffees and a Filter Coffee Frappe from the cold coffees.

All the four coffees are served together — plus points for that, but definitely not for the long wait before they were served. From the four, we think the Salted Caramel Latte is the best. Topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce — this drink, with a hint of salt, is perfect! Bon Bon Coffee is a shot of strong coffee. It is ideal for those who want to wake up with a bang. The Filter Coffee Frappe is just regular cold coffee, available at any other coffee shop.

Going vegan
The most disappointing is the Latte Di Mandorla. A blend of almond milk with coffee, this is too watery and has no flavour. The food menu has enough options from small plates, large plates, deli delights and pasta bowls to pizzas and desserts. We order the Signature Mexican Platter (bean and cheese quesadillas, cumin rice, tomato salsa, cheese melt), Coorg Pepper Roast Chicken and Smoked Mushroom and Thyme Cream pasta. The quesadillas are quite delectable thanks to the cheesy vegetable filling.

We also recommend the roast chicken because of the perfect marination and the smokey, peppery sauce it is accompanied with. But we would suggest you give the pasta a miss as it is far from impressive. Though there is a strong thyme flavour , we think the cafe can be more generous with the mushrooms. The experience of dining at Alchemy is on par with any regular coffee shop but we feel that the service can get better.

Rs 1,000 for two. At Jayanagar

ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com
@aishatax

source: http://www.indulgeexpress.com / Indulge – The New Indian Express / by Ayesha Tabassum / April 06th, 2018

Cuisine Papera: Back to Kodava Culture

CuisinePaperiaKF06apr2018

Indian Food Trail is on a trip down South to the picturesque Kodagu Coorg (known as Scotland of India). As Part of the work got a chance to visit this beautiful hill station and was fortunate to witness first hand the rich culture and traditions of the Kodava people who are very warm, affectionate and hospitable folks and love good food. Got a chance to visit one of the best Antique Hotel‘Cuisine Papera’ in Gonikoppa. Had a talk with the owner of the Restaurant Mr. Adengada Rajesh Achaiah.

Here are some of the Inputs from Interview by Manasa Gowda

What inspired you to become a restaurant owner?

Opening a restaurant was never planned. We started with a homestay (papera.in) way back on 2009 by fluke. A friend of mine had over booking and wanted us to accommodate a couple of them at our place. This was team a from a renowned MNC in Bengaluru. They fell in love with the location, the views and the peaceful surroundings. They shared the pics on their office notice board and friends. Eventually, by word of mouth many people contacted us & food was our USP. From this, stemmed the idea of providing food for the nearby bar (which did not serve any food those days) and the rest is history.

Your hotel ‘Cuisine Papera’ Flavour of Kachampuli names seems to be different can you tell us whats the meaning of it?

The term “Pape” means sir in a local tribal language. Friends in college started calling me “Pape” (for reasons I don’t remember) and it kind of stuck with me. “Papera” means Pape’s.

“Kachampuli” is an extract from Garcinia fruit, which is used exclusively in Kodava cuisines, especially non-veg. Since this is unique ingredient that goes into most of our dishes, we chose to add that to the name

Can you give a brief introduction about your Interior decoration of your hotel?

I have always been curious about Kodava culture. Talking to elderly people and listening to stories from their time, the lifestyle etc fascinates me till date. The interiors, is just a reflection of what I cherish and respect. There is an ulterior motive of educating our customers, especially the younger generation of the tools and techniques that were used in olden days.

How many years you took for collecting these antique items?

I don’t really have a track of this… but roughly 25 years I guess. We had a pile of stuff in our attic, which belonged to my great grandfathers. I did not want to get rid of this treasure and kept it safe. When we opened the restaurant, I knew it was time to display them

How much money you had invested in buying these Products?

Again, this is something that I did out of my own interest and procured the collection over a period and not in one go. So it is really difficult to attach a number to it. But yes, I can say it is quite a lot given that all these items are mostly few decades old and “antiques” doesn’t come cheap 😊

What are 3 tips for running a successful restaurant?

Cook local dishes, the rest we get to eat everywhere else
Cook something that you will happily eat yourself without thinking twice about the quality or hygiene
Be open to feedback, positive or negative

Which one is the signature food of your restaurant?

Given that we serve Kodava cuisine, Pork items are our highlight (that is a delicacy for Kodavas). Pork Curry with Kadumbutt, Noolputt – Kolicurry (chicken) are a few to name. Pork Choodals, Dragon pork, Fire Pork are couple other dishes that we have huge demand for.

Can you please share that signature recipe to our readers?

That would mean people won’t walk in to the restaurant to savour our dish anymore! (LOL kidding). Pork is marinated with a paste made with onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric and salt. The marinated meat is then cooked on slow fire (brings out the flavours). Once cooked, we add pork masala (roasted spices ground to fine powder) and finally add a dash of Kachumpuli.

Where do you get ingredients from?

Most ingredients like spices, masala etc are sourced from our own estate/made in house. Veggies, meat, fish etc is sourced multiple times a week (to ensure freshness) from Hunsur/Mangalore/Mysore/Kerala and at times local market

What are your future plans for the restaurant?

I would like to make this place kids and elderly friendly. If space and pocket permits, I would like to have lift installed. Apart from that, continue what our patrons think we are good at, work on what we could improve on.

What do you cook yourself and your family at home?

Lime juice & Lime tea is my specialty. This is something that I make often. I hardly cook something at home, but I do help around a bit when we make akkiotti(Rice roti). I brag that the ones I make are more like white poori, as it puffs up real well ( my sister in law won’t like this statement! She is the one who taught me to make otti lol 😊)

If you were to open a new restaurant other than Gonikoppa, what style of food would you pick?

Assuming you meant out of Kodagu, I would still stick with Kodava cuisine. Why limit the best to people of Kodagu only? 😊

What was the worst meal that you’ve had?

I am a no fuss eater. Given that one eats when hungry, I value food the way it is as long as it satisfies my hunger.

What’s the worst meal you’ve prepared?

Like I mentioned, I hardly cook. So I guess I can proudly say I never spoil my dishes!!

source: http://www.newspatrolling.com / News Patrolling / Home> NP – Spotlight / by NP Team / Interview by Manasa Gowda / April 06th, 2018

Brewing the Bolt

Brewing the Bolt
Brewing the Bolt

‘Bolt Cold Brew’ is a brand nested under Rudra Coffee, a company co-founded by young group of three- Vishaka Shah, Anisha Shah and Jatin Gujrati.

Vishaka leads the day-to-day operations of the company. Given her background in pharma studies, she brings a lot of focus on quality control and ensures best in class production standards. Anisha and Jatin are graduates from Indian School of Business and look after marketing, finance, and strategy in a part-time role.

All three co-founders are extremely passionate about coffee and fitness and deeply understand the impact coffee has on athletic performance and productivity. “Our passion for coffee led us to the plantations of Chikamaglur and Araku in search of great coffee. On these trips, we fell in love with the subtle art of making coffee and differentiating between nuances of flavor and aroma in different origins of coffee.

So much so that we started roasting our coffee at home and one of us spent a week at Coffee Board of India, to learn and get trained in the coffee business from the experts. Eventually, we figured we got to share our love for coffee with others and that’s when Rudra Coffee was born.” Shares Vishaka “As a brand, we are obsessed with helping Indian customers discover what coffee is all about and fall in love with it.

The idea behind Bolt came when last summer we made some cold brew using freshly roasted Araku and Chikamagalur beans for our own use. With its first sip we fell in love with its refreshing, crisp taste and beautiful aroma. We called friends and family over and made them taste the cold brew. To our surprise, even the ones not used to drinking black coffee, loved it.

That’s when we knew we have stumbled upon something special and couldn’t wait to share it with the rest of the world.We spent the next six months forming relationships with plantation owners, roasters, experimenting and perfecting various roast profile for beans, and experimenting with several brew recipes.

We launched Bolt in January’18, after two months of rigorous sampling to get product validation. We are the first to launch ready-to-drink bottled cold brewed coffee in Hyderabad and probably one of the first in India. Bolt is made in small batches with freshly roasted 100% Arabica beans.

It has no added sugar, no preservatives and has less than 5 calories per serving. Because of the cold brewed process, it has 70% lower acidity than a hot brewed coffee, making it the perfect refresher.” Adds Vishaka “The response to Bolt so far has been fantastic, our customers are loving its sweet, balanced taste and aroma. They have been messaging us with their stories of how Bolt is helping them stay more productive, get more out of their workouts or just generally get refreshed in the Hyderabad summer.

In addition to cold brewed coffee, we also offer Brew sticks, Bolt Cookies, and Honey Twigs. Brew sticks are Biscotti’s made with Bolt Cold Brew extracts and contains freshly roasted coffee beans, almonds, and choco chips.

Bolt cookies are monster cookies made with Bolt Cold Brew Extract and choco chips. Honey twigs are something we offer as an add-on. These are 8 grams honey sachets which could be used to make the coffee a bit sweeter while keeping the overall drink still healthy.

We recently launched a cream and honey version of Bolt as a special menu on Zomato. This one is for customers who prefer milk with their coffee. All our products have received a great response so far,” says Anisha

“We will soon be launching a yogurt-based dessert made with Bolt Cold Brew reduction. We have been sampling it for a while and are very excited by the response it is getting. We will also continue to expand distribution as we go along and launch new products based on customer feedback. The idea is to make sure everyone in Hyderabad has access to a bottle of Bolt when they need one! So, keep an eye out!” adds Jatin

All their products are available on www.boltcoldbrew.com as well as leading food delivery platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, and UberEats. For their website orders, they have a delivery promise of 24 hours and they take it very seriously. They are also available at Q-mart, Banjara Hills and X60 Cross Fit, Jubilee Hills.

See More: Facebook & Instagram @boltcoldbrew.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / The Hans India / Home> Food / April 05th, 2018

Homemade Coffee Scrub For Glowing Skin And Healthy Hair

Coffee is an ultimate go-to beverage for all the caffeine lovers. It’s caffeine content is enough to give your lazy mornings an energetic start. Apart from giving a morning jolt, its antioxidant properties can help in keeping the skin nourished and healthy, provided it is consumed in moderation. Coffee also increases the blood flow in the body, which in turn enhances the collagen production. Your favourite kitchen ingredient can do wonders for your skin and hair as well. There are several scrubs available in the market that claim of making the skin brighter and healthier, however most of them are quite expensive and full of chemical substances. It’s always better to use organic components on your skin which can give you better results than the chemical-based ones. Here in this article, we shall explain how these bite-sized coffee beans can provide with skin and hair benefits. All you need is coffee grounds, brown sugar,honey and olive oil.Coffee Scrub For Skin

1. Mix half cup of coffee beans, 1 cup brown sugar and two third cup of olive oil in a bowl. You may add 1 teaspoon of virgin honey as well. Stir well.
2. Take the coffee scrub and apply it all over your face and neck.

3. While applying the coffee scrub, make sure that skin is moist as coffee is corrosive in nature. It’s always better to apply it on moist skin to prevent skin irritation.

4. Once it is done, wet your hands a little bit and start rubbing gently in a circular motion for about 7-8 minutes. Rinse it off with the help of lukewarm water.

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Note: If you don’t have olive oil, you can even make this scrub with the help of coconut oil, almond oil, nut oil or any other essential oil as per your preference.

This scrub will help in shedding the dead skin. Since coffee is a great antioxidant, it will protect the skin from acne breakouts too. Apart from skin, you can even use this coffee scrub for your hair. The acids present in the coffee beans can enhance the texture of the hair to a significant extent.

Coffee Hair Mask For Hair

To make a coffee hair mask, you will require coffee beans and water. Mix both the ingredients well until a thick paste is formed. With the help of your fingers, apply it all over your head and wash it off with water once it is done.

So, what are you waiting for? Bring this secret kitchen ingredient to your rescue right away!

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

source: http://www.food.ndtv.com / NDTV Food / by Natasha Chopra / February 19th, 2018

Chennai & coffee are inseparable

Evan as California calls for cancer warnings on the cuppa.

Representational image
Representational image

A judge has ruled that California law requires coffee companies to carry an ominous cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process. Sellers must soon post scary warnings about cancer risks. But how frightened should we be of our daily cup of joe? Not very, as some scientists and available evidence seem to suggest. Public health experts disagree that coffee poses a cancer risk, saying, “If anything, coffee is protective for some types of cancer.”

How do they view all this in Chennai, which could be called the cradle of coffee in Tamil Nadu, after Kumbakonam, the town that believes its ‘Degree Kaapi’ is the best brew going in the world. For the dedicated coffee drinker, frothy coffee from a steaming cup is the hallmark of a great South Indian tradition. It is the energy drink to kickstart the day. It is the quintessential office drink for that burst of inspiration and flow of energy. It is also the de-stress drink. Any compulsory health warning like in California would have the least impact here, say coffee lovers.

Coffee consumption continues to increase in the southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu and in the country coffee drinking has grown to about 90 grams per capita per year from 60-70 grams about 12 years ago. We also know that 3.13 lakh metric tons of coffee are produced in south India, with Karnataka contributing the bulk (2.11 lakh MT) but about 70 per cent of the domestic production is exported to about 45 countries, mainly Europe which takes about half of everything India exports. They don’t what they are missing as Indian beans go abroad, much of it to Italy which ironically markets it back in India through fancy coffee chains.

The Chennaiite will, however, swear by the tumbler-davara combination in which boiled milk meets the decoction filtered down from a combination of Peaberry and Plantation coffee beans with a degree of chicory blended into it according to taste. The inveterate coffee drinker may not be too bothered about scientists now saying that the chemical called acrylamide is made when the beans are roasted. US government agencies call acrylamide a probable or likely carcinogen, based on animal research, and a group sued successfully to require coffee sellers to warn of that under a California law passed by voters in 1986.

Chennai’s coffee drinking may have changed over the years from the traditional tumbler-davara thanks to the proliferation of coffee chains like Cafe Coffee Day, Barista Lavazza, Costa Coffee and, of course, Starbucks. This is a great blend for Chennai as the fun factor came into coffee drinking with these modern cafes. It has also become fashionable to be seen sipping a cuppa in these outlets.
“At the minimum, coffee is neutral. If anything, there is fairly good evidence of the benefit of coffee on cancer,” says Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a nutrition expert at the Harvard School of Public Health to AP while the WHO cancer agency moved coffee off the “possible carcinogen” list two years ago, though it says evidence is insufficient to rule out any possible role.

Scientists are saying now that exposure probably is not that high in a cup of coffee a day but if a lot of cups of coffee are drunk, then consumers may have to consider cutting down. Smoking causes the generation of most acrylamide, while in the diet, French fries, potato chips, crackers, cookies, cereal and other high-carbohydrate foods contain the chemical as a byproduct of roasting, baking, toasting or frying.

On the flip side, it is known that rodents and people absorb the chemical at different rates and metabolise it differently and no one knows yet its relevance to human health. Research also says that coffee is unlikely to cause breast, prostate or pancreatic cancer, and that it seemed to lower the risks for liver and uterine cancers. It is also known that the California law has potential to do more harm than good to public health by causing needless confusion. So, go on, brew that cuppa from decoction and milk and keep going.

After all, the American Cancer Society’s chief medical officer says. “The issue here is dose, and the amount of acrylamide that would be included in coffee, which is really very small, compared to the amount from smoking tobacco. I don’t think we should be worried about a cup of coffee.” Cheers to the next cuppa then.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Health and Wellbeing / by Deccan Chronicle / April 02nd, 2018

Rashmika Mandanna’s sporty avatar

The actress will play a sportswoman in her next film with Vijay Devarakonda.

The latest we hear is that Rashmika will be seen in the role of a sportswoman in the entertainer.
The latest we hear is that Rashmika will be seen in the role of a sportswoman in the entertainer.

Rashmika Mandanna’s debut vehicle Chalo is a runaway hit in Tollywood. Ever since, she has been the cynosure of all eyes with filmmakers making a beeline to cast her. Her next film is opposite Vijay Devarakonda under director Bharat Kamma.

The latest we hear is that Rashmika will be seen in the role of a sportswoman in the entertainer. Apparently, the actress loved her part and the way it unfolds.

For someone who has done girl next door roles, this role of a sportswoman comes in complete contrast to what she has played earlier and will also take the audience by surprise.

A source says, “The actress is known to spring surprises by trying new roles. Perhaps, the role appeals to the youth a lot and that’s what excited her and prompted her to take up the project immediately.” The film will go on floors in June.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Entertainment> Tollywood / by Sashidhar Adivi, Deccan Chronicle / April 01st, 2018

Vice Admiral unveils war memorial in Madikeri

Vice Admiral A R Karve offers tribute after unveiling the war memorial at Sunnyside in Madikeri on Saturday.
Vice Admiral A R Karve offers tribute after unveiling the war memorial at Sunnyside in Madikeri on Saturday.

A war memorial, built in memory of all martyrs from Kodagu who laid down their lives, on Sunnyside premises the abode of late General K S Thimayya was unveiled on Saturday by Vice Admiral A R Karve.

The government has planned to develop Sunnyside as a museum, and the work is in progress. The war memorial has been built next to the museum. A war tank has been placed in the memorial.

Later, the district administration and the Kannada and Culture Department observed the 112th birth anniversary of General K S Thimayya.

‘Pride of the nation’

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral A R Karve said the people of Kodagu are known for their valour. He called upon the youth from the district to join armed forces. “Field Marshal K M Cariappa and General K S Thimayya are pride for the entire nation. Youth should come forward to serve the nation,” he said.

“Gen Thimayya was known for war tactics. He served as General from 1957 to 1961,” he said.

Forum member Major (retd) B A Nanjappa said, “Gen Thimayya was a sports lover. In spite of difficulties, he led the country to victory in the war.”

K C Subbaiah, who is the president of the Cariappa, Thimayya Forum, hoped that Field Marshal Cariappa will be bestowed with the Bharat Ratna at the earliest.

Deputy Commissioner P I Sreevidya, Superintendent of Police P Rajendra Prasad, Zilla Panchayat CEO Prashanth Kumat Mishra, Air Marshal (retd) K C Cariappa and others were present on the occasion.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DH News Service, Madikeri / March 31st, 2018