A cloud in my coffee

An online service that delivers gourmet coffee straight from the Shevaroy Hills to your doorstep

Who doesn’t like their coffee fresh from the plantations and touched by the mist?

Coffee connoisseurs have reason to cheer, as one of the country’s oldest coffee estates, Cauvery Peak, has now started an online delivery service of their premium coffee — planted, picked, pulped, roasted and packed — all on the estate, and then delivered to your doorstep.

The online service, which went live on July 3, has already garnered an ardent following, with orders pouring in from cities such as Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Virudhunagar. With this service, consumers can order coffee that is freshly roasted and ground just before being shipped.

Perched 5,000 feet up on the steep slopes of the northern end of the Shevaroy range of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, Cauvery Peak Estate has been producing premium Arabica Coffee for 150 years. The estate was founded by European planter Eustacho Joachim in 1867, who gave the estate its name, because of the clear view of the Cauvery River meandering at a distance.

The estate was bought by the Rajes family in 1957, and has now been in the family for four generations.

In 2004, the Coffee Board of India commissioned Kenneth Davids, co-founder of Coffee Review, to select the top 10 Indian coffees.

Cauvery Peak Estate was rated in the top three and Davids says, “Cauvery Peak Coffee has a sweetly round aroma, richly low-key acidity, and full body. There are hints of fresh-cut cedar, lemon and chocolate in the aroma. In the cup, mid-toned with distinct, clean fruit leaning toward chocolate. Rich, long finish.”

Vijayan Rajes, managing director of Cauvery Peak, says that the coffee from each of his three estates, which are located in different parts of the Shevaroy hills, have their own distinctive flavour.

Rajes explains, that the amount of rainfall, soil quality, elevation and terrain play a major role in imparting flavour to the coffee. “Everything is so interconnected,” he says, adding, “There can be no coffee without the soil, no coffee without the sun and no coffee without the clouds that bring the rain.”

As he pours me a cup of steaming coffee from a slender swan-necked pot, I nod in agreement as I take a sip... and taste the cloud in my coffee.

++ Should one then quit coffe in the morning and go for dark cocoa powder? A friend (whose name skips me for the moment ) has suggested that I drink a cup of cocoa evry day, along with the morning coffee and the afternoon tea, and perhaps, include a glass of red wine in the evenings, so as to meximise benefit-sound advice!

dbala@lvpei.org

A home away from home

Bharath Coffee House in Kochi’s Broadway is a favourite haunt for old-timers and newcomers alike who come here to sip on hot drink. Our USP is snacks such as bonda, sugiyan, pazhampori and, of course, the most ordered items are our masala dosa and cutlet.

A TOST TO TE TUSKERS

The most expensive coffee in the world is called black Ivory coffee. It costs $50per cup and made from elephant dung! This is one luxury coffee experience you will never forget.

Let your mood decide the perfect cuppa for you

Whether it is a dreamy escape from your routine or a strong yet bitter-sweet flavour to start your day, a cup of your favourite brew is sure to uplift your spirits and make you feel better if you make the right choice. Have you ever noticed how your mood determines the type of beverage you need at that time of the day? With a variety of teas and coffees on offer, it is time to choose the right blend apart from the standard brew. Have a cuppa, which suits your emotional and physical needs.

Tea
Masala Adrak Chai: For never-ending brainstorming sessions
A riot of flavours, the special chai masala using dry Indian spices and fresh adrak, makes this tea a must-have for bonding sessions with friends. It is also made for those long, creative meetings when you have to brainstorm.

Black Tea: For a strong flavour and to get your brain running
With its high caffeine content, black tea is stronger than any other tea, and is best when you get up with a hangover. Besides immediately reviving your senses, it will help you kickstart your day and give you a boost which will stay through the day.

Green Tea: To calm those frayed nerves
With its natural grassy flavour, green tea is the ultimate stress buster. A healthy option for those who want to build up their metabolism and cut fat, green tea is stimulating and yet helps keep your nerves in control.

White Tea: To feel healthy
Completely opposite from black tea is the white tea, which has tea leaves plucked when they are just buds and not yet fully opened. It has the least amount of caffeine and contains the highest level of antioxidants. Since it is least processed, it has a light flavour to it.

Flavoured herbal teas: When you are feeling off-colour
A variety of flavoured teas using herbs like the jasmine, lemon, chamomile, mint, etc., can have a soothing effect on your body. Using strong as well as fresh flowers, fruits, seeds or roots, each of them is good for some or the other medical condition like sore throat, insomnia, digestion, etc. A cup of herbal tea will definitely make you feel better and get you back in action faster. w Iced tea: When you are feeling thirsty

Coffee
Black Coffee: When you want to extend your day
When you're feeling exhausted, stressed and yet want to extend your day to finish off with pending work, get yourself a plain black coffee, with no sugar, milk or additional flavouring. Black coffee strictly means business.

Mocha Latte: To indulge your sweet tooth
When you want a sugary treat, just go in for a mocha latte laced with hot chocolate. A tasty drink, it will give you a caffeine boost.

Espresso: When you are dead tired
An espresso will get you moving and is for those who have to rush to work or classes early morning. The strong flavour is necessary to wake you up and started. It is not for those who aren't regular coffee drinkers. You can add milk to tone down the taste if necessary.

Chocolate Chip Frappuccino: When you are feeling relaxed and cheerful
The chocolate chip frappuccino is for those feeling carefree and at peace. Using chocolate chips and sweetened whipped cream, this mocha flavoured beverage is a delicious, coffee-flavoured drink.

Cappuccino: Your after-dinner fix
Skip the dessert and get yourself a cappuccino. With its dairy and sugar content, it is appropriate as an after-dinner digestive too.

Iced Coffee: When you need to feel refreshed
Just sit down in your favourite corner and sip on the classic iced coffee when you are feeling rushed or stressed. It will refresh you while also giving you the much needed caffeine-fix.

The man who brews magic in studio para TNN | Feb 11, 2016, 12.30 PM IST

The man who brews magic in studio para

Name: Ratan Patra (aka Lombu Ratan) Howrah, 56 years old, Passed Class IX
Job: Tea-seller at Tollygunge studio para

This resume of a tea vendor would've never made a story, had Ratan not been the most sought-after cha-wallah in studio para. The reason -his penchant for creating amazing brews with just about anything under the sun! But Ratan's is a story with many twists. So, read on...

FAMILY BACKGROUND

I'm a very happy man, who can make `designer' cha. My wife Aparna works at Tajmahal Rambikash Kendro and looks after home. My daughter Jui is happily married, while my son, Amartya, passed matric with five letters and star marks and is currently studying in Class XI. What more could I want? I work honestly for 10-12 hours a day and don't need a pill to sleep. The studio is my second home and I love it when the first thing the artistes say is, `Kaaj surur aage Ratandar hather cha khabo'. I never make tea at home and all my flavoured tea recipes are my own. My tea's USP is the use of fresh ingredients. Now, with God's grace, I have a decent bank balance and peo ple ask me why I don't open my own tea shop. But the truth is, the studio atmosphere is my oxygen, and the way the artistes praise my tea and production managers plead with me to adjust my dates gives me an ego boost. On principle, I serve the party that books me first even if another is willingly to pay me double.

A HAPPENING PAST

I was into sports and music and used to play volleyball. I also used to work in jute mills. But after the mills closed down one after the other, I started my own cement, stone and brick shop. That too, I had to shut down, as creditors didn't pay up and I got neck deep in debt. Then, 15 years back, I came to my sister's house in Tollygunge in search of a job and met Ladenda -a tea seller in studio para. He would take me along and station me at a shooting spot so that he could go to another spot and earn double. He never paid me, but my breakfast, lunch and dinner used to come free from the production house. That meant a lot to me back then. At that time, lebu, lal and dudh cha, and black coffee and normal coffee were the only varieties available. Most of the time, people would shout at me, saying that I couldn't even make a decent cup of tea or coffee, as either the lebu cha would taste bitter or the coffee would taste more like milk. I remember once Indrani Halder asked for black coffee and I mixed coffee powder with lal cha. When I served her, she almost vomited! That day , I promised myself that a day would come when artistes would vouch by my tea.

THE FIRST BREAK

Production manager Tapas Biswas gave me the first break for Raj Mukherjee's Nagordola, which starred Roopa Ganguly and Indrani Halder. My first remuneration was `350, while today , I charge `4,000 to `6,000 per day depending on the head count and the production house. The amount is higher for a Bollywood or English film. I had started business with one stove, a kettle, a flask, a jar of tea leaves, a bit of sugar and a bowl of milk. But now, I have five assistants to help me keep track of my 19 flasks, eight stoves and eight kettles, among other things. From Earl Grey , green tea to normal tea, I serve everything. I generally buy tea priced at `300 per kg and all the fruits I use to make designer tea are fresh. I only work for films and not TV serials, as the latter doesn't ensure profits.

THE TURNING POINT

One fine morning, I thought why couldn't I make tea with raw mango pulp instead of lemon? So, I boiled raw mango, strained the pulp, added it to tea liquor and mixed sugar, chat masala, rock salt and pepper.

Then I refrigerated it and served it to the shooting unit.

Everyone was like, `What is this? We want more!' Then I started experimenting with pineapple, grapes, orange, pomegranate and all types of juicy fruits and all became instant hits. The first cup of tea I serve on the sets is made using ginger paste, rock salt, basil leaf paste, lime water and all say it's quite refreshing.

THE MOST BIZZARE TEA

Want to get rid of uneasiness? Have a cup of liquor tea made using chili sauce mixed with lemon juice, sugar, chat masala, rock salt and pepper! Down with a headache? Try Lombu Ratan's liquor tea mixed with a dollop of butter and pepper. Once I made sandesh tea and it got me a lot of applause. I was actually making the usual tea when I noticed that the milk had turned stale and sour. So, I mixed notun gurer sandesh in the tea and everyone just loved it. No one asks me to make dudh cha or lebu cha and even when I make it, there are no takers (laughs)!

A BAD EXPERIENCE

Production manager Arupda once took me to Sikkim for a documentary on the hill state's government.He still owes me `69,000 after all these years.

CELEBRITY CLIENTS

Yusuf Pathan and Gautam Gambhir came here for an ad shoot and had my aam cha. Both became addicted to it! On the first day of Barfi!'s shoot, I made lemon black coffee for Priyanka didi (Chopra) and from the next day , she used to say , `Mujhe makeup se phele Ratanda ke hath ka lemon black coffee chahiye'. She is extremely nice.Ranbir Kapoor liked my aam cha.During the Raavan shoot, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was so happy with the varieties of tea I served her that she gave me `10,000 as bakshish before leaving. But I generally don't take money from anyone; I just need their blessings and love.Nawazuddin Siddiqui gifted me a T-shirt while he was doing Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa, as he was so happy with my designer tea. Sourav Ganguly , too, is fond of my tea.

MY ACTING STINT

I have played a police officer innumerable times. And I love acting, as I can earn double on the same set by acting and selling tea. I was part of films like Target, Anjan Dutt's first Byomkesh Bakshi, Ballygunge Court, Madly Bangalee, Mukti and Sweetheart, among others. That apart, I was part of TV serials like Time Diary, Chorabali and many more. I miss art director Samir Chanda, the man who gave me most of the work.Uttam Kumar is my matinee idol and I have one regret that I couldn't serve him my special tea. I don't watch today's Bengali films much, as I'm an UttamSuchitra fan. I like Dev a lot for his behavior, but my fave actor is Sabyasachi Chakrabarty , as I haven't come across someone as suave as him.

Chennai tiffen mess, tea, hotel, eateries

Sri Rama Bhavan and Lodging Thambu Chetty Street speciality is the coconut chutney, milagu rasam and coffee.

chaat in Chennai has one heading out to Sowcarpet. And in a place that feels like a mini-Rajasthan you’re never out of choices. There’s Agarwal Bhavan that smells of jalebis and samosas being fried in fat, all the time. Or you can try out Ajab; it also has a branch in Fountain Plaza called Ajnabi that is always crowded irrespective of day, date or time.

NAVIN SWEETS : Jalebi Fafda at 8.30AM They say that if you ever visit Sowcarpet in the mornings, you must try the jalebi-fafda. A breakfast combination, fafda is a savoury made out of gram flour and we all know what jalebis are. Navin Sweets on Anna Pillai Street has been in the business for 35 years. Navin Chandra came to Chennai from Anjar, Gujarat and set up the stall, which is now being looked after by his son Vikas. Available between 7.30 and 10 in the morning, food-lovers come from as far as Koyambedu and tackle the tricky lanes of Sowcarpet for the delicacy. The fafda is served with a side dish made of besan and papaya and a meal for one costs just Rs 20. 

A hole-in-the-wall shop on Perambur Barracks Road (it’s on the left when you come in from Doveton signal), where you have to stand on small bricks that double up as a pavement, serves unusual samosas. The masala is packed with whole mint leaves and the outer pastry is studded with ajwain, that gives off a wonderful flavour, and when you’re shoving down samosas every other day in the name of research, a little ajwain (or carom seeds) helps in digesting all those deep-fried goodies.

Hotel Mass pachaiyamman koil street Adambakkam Chennai -back to Guindy railaway station- Non veg

Madurai Saradha Mess Wallaja road-near cricket stadium Chennai- Ayirai fish curry famous here.Film personalities Vadivelu, Director Shankar and Superstar Rajnikanth liked their taste!

Thanjavur Mess- Subbareddy street, West Mambalam-veg

Kannadasan mess- T.Nagar near panagal park- veg

Balaji fast food @ 12 kannadasan publisher nr natesan park 9841251235/9940277825  

Sri Monisha  mess-Big street- Triplicane  Variety rice, dosas, Vadas, coffee

Kasivinayaga Mess, ‘meals-only’ eatery No. 58/2, Akbar Saheb Street, Triplicane, Chennai - 600005 Near Chidambaram Cricket Stadium Monday - Saturday: 12 PM - 10 PM, phone 044 - 28545027

Amman mess- opp cricket stadium -Chepauk -Meals & Tiffin- ( ragi doasi )

Nair Mess - CNT street opp cricket stadium - Non veg meals-white mutton Kuruma, Biriyani etc

Rose Milk, Kalathi Cool Drink Stall, No. 27 East Mada St. nr chitrakulam  and  end of the South Mada St. sankarapuram mylapore Rs 12 per per glass of iced rosemilk

Maami mess near Kapaleeswarar temple- Mylapore 98402 72288 Mami Tiffin Stall is located on the street diagonally opposite to Kalathi Newspaper Shop. This place is supposedly to be famous for their ‘Coffee’ and ‘Bajji’. We had each placed an order for coffee and couple of plates of bajji’s. kalavai satham i.e. 16 varitiey rice Rs 16; Methu bonda Rs 7; Kesari Rs10Filter coffee 7AM The coffee, priced at Rs 12, is expertly prepared by Palakkad-based Krishnan Kutti.

Rayars Mess begin your walk from the Kapaleeshwar temple towards Kutchery Road and ask for Arundale Street once you cross the Mylapore Post Office. Keep walking down Arundale Street and you are supposed to locate a really old house. Once you locate this house, bang opposite to it you can see a mini gully and yes your guesses are correct. The famous and renowned 

MYLAI KARPAGAMBAL MESS: Adai Avial 8 PM A stone’s throw from the Kapaleeshwarar temple in Myalpore adai avial and lemon sevai. taste keerai vadai

Jannal Kadai: As the name suggests, Jannal Kadai is popular because of its unique feature. The food is served from a window, which is located near Kapaleeshwarar Temple parking. As soon as the window opens at 5.30, customers start queuing up. Their idly, dosa, vadai, bajji and bonda are must haves. Accentuating the taste of their dishes is the special chutneys served along. They also serve breakfast everyday and upma on weekends. The bajjis are soft and satiate you easily. Cost: Rs. 20 for a plate of four

Gomathi Mess Market Road, Mandaveli 094 44 108923- Home to unarguably the best Pongal-Vadai in town. Enough said. Located incongruously behind a small temple on Mandaiveli Market Road, a five minute walk from Tank, the joint serves Idli, Poori, and classic filter coffee to sign off your breakfast. Best visited before 7:30 AM. Mon - Fri: 6:30 am - 10:00 am, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Sat: 6:30 am - 10:00 am 

Karthik Tiffin Center, a road side eatery, was started in 1993 and after 20 years, it is still going steady. Mr Vijayakumar is the successful owner of 2 branches at Anna Nagar in 12th Main Road and 9th Main Road. It is a pure Vegetarian joint. Serves around 15 varieties of dosa’s ranging from cauliflower to Peas masala at a reasonable rate. Customers stop-over at the place for its speciality- Parotas and Peas Dosa. The menu also comprises of Idlis, vadas, pongal, fried rice, pooris, etc. Their customer base includes Cooperates, college students and also VIPs and the rush hour is usually the late evenings. From 11 AM podi dosa priced at Rs 22.
 

Senthil Softy Zone Every area has a place for quick-eats and Senthil Softy Zone is Mylapore's. The place has flavoured milk, milkshakes, fresh fruit juices and of course, soft serve ice creams to quell the heat on a hot afternoon along with a variety of puffs (baby corn, cheese, paneer), samosas and sandwiches that are a hit among the young crowd. The mint lime juice, especially, is much sought after. Cost: Rs. 9 for a glass of mint lime juice

Leo Coffee Mocha No self-respecting food walk that involves a majority of south Indian tiffin and breakfast dishes is complete without a serving of filter coffee and it is fitting that I head to a place that is known for its coffee powder for more than a hundred years. Except that this kiosk is only five months old informs a woman behind the counter. Leo Coffee that is right next door has introduced several such stalls across the city. There is a blackboard that lists the several hot and cold beverages, written in coloured chalk. The only disappointment is that coffee isn’t served in davara-tumblers because paper cups make more sense. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is aromatic, dark and frothy — all the makings of a good filter coffee. Cost: Rs 15 for a cup of coffee

SRI VELU MILITARY HOTEL: Non-veg meals 1PM The original Velu Military Hotel is located in a non-decrepit building at 131, Eldams Road. Started in 1955 by Velu Ambalam mama of Vellalur Nadu, Madurai district, the hotel is now run by his nephew Pandia Selvam Ambalakarar. Famous for its fish fry, fish curry and country chiken, the hotel has seen the likes of MGR, Vairamuthu, MR Radha, Jayachitra and Kamal Haasan relish its delicacies. Next time you pass by Eldams Road, drop by Velu’s for a plate of meals at just Rs 40. 

BALAJI SANDWICH SHOP: Bread omlette 6 PM Visit Alsa Mall in Egmore and you are sure to find a host of sandwich shops in the area. The oldest of the lot is Balaji’s, which started off as a tea stall 23 years back. Now they make brisk business selling close to 600 sandwiches a day. Their specialty is the bread omlette (Rs 12). Many cine artistes too have come in search of the famous Alsa Mall Sandwich and returned satisfied. The shop is open from 10am to 10pm.

Nothing a cuppa green can’t heal.  Gopi, who runs a tea shop, thinks awareness of the benefits of green tea is increasing.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/nothing-a-cuppa-green-cant-heal/article6261541.ece

A line of share autos effectively obscures an innocuous blue bunk shop on the margins of the road opposite Nungambakkam railway station. Approach the shop and you will see S.M. Gopi with steaming cups of regular tea, like in most other tea shops. It’s hard to miss a rather unusual board that announces that Gopi, from his tiny pedestal, will also make you a cup of green tea or lemon tea. K. Rajeev takes it 62 steps further. “I offer 64 varieties,” he announces. The board at his modest stall outside the Southern Railway Divisional office in Park Town, though, can accommodate only a handful

Head there for concoctions such as mint tea, honey green tea, pepper tea, sukku coffee and pannai vellam coffee among others. “I recently introduced vetiver tea. Regardless of whether you have a cold, a headache or even diabetes, the shop offers you the perfect drink.

Bombay Lassi in a quiet corner of Ellis Road, behind Devi Theatre for hot samosas on their leaf plates

On Valluvar Kottam High Road, the 25-year-old Tirunelveli Halwa Stall is one of those shops that stand out. Snaking queue that runs past the dental clinic four shops away & there’s a retro-looking counter full of sweets and snacks

On Sardar Patel Road. “The shop has no name but has been around for almost 30 years after adayar signal and before adayar bakery. It’s a small shop and one might miss it easily but between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., when the shop is open, you get everything from samosas and cutlets to omapodi and the place is always crowded.

Sri Ramakrishna veg mess, M-175, Near R T O Office, 9th Cross Street Thiruvalluvar Ngr, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 600041 Contact Person: Mr Ananda Raj Landline: +91-44-24454461

வண்டி கடை ஈக்காட்டுத்தாங்கல் dosai with herbs RS 10 to Rs 25

Ravi Anna’s Kadai

In T Nagar, near Brilliant Tutorials is the legendary kaiyendhi bhavan, which was closed for a while, but is back in action again. “Known for their sambar vadai, podi dosa and idiyappam kurma, they even have a fan following on Orkut! The name was never official. But the man who runs this way-side eatery behind Pondy Bazaar, near Brilliant Tutorials, is so popular that his shop is usually termed the “Ravi annan kadai”, or to be politically correct, the Brilliant Tutorials Kaiyendhi Bhavan. Around 1,000 people, from businessmen in their Audis to the daily-wage labourers, visit this eatery, now 35 years old,  everyday to get a piece of  their now legendary ‘Nei Podi Dosai’, which in a more sophisticated setting would be called the Ghee podi roast.  Open from 6.30am till 11.30pm, the vegetarian tiffin is made by four cooks, across shifts.