In order to like something, one needs to be able to taste it first.
Starbucks can be taken as a good representation of average American’s fresh coffee drinking preferences. In between are the Keurigs and the Dolce Gusto style pod makers. At other end are the usual instant coffee brands such as Folgers, Douwe Egberts, Maxwell House etc.
We do not see South Indian filter coffee variants retailed by any of them. (Although Starbucks and Dolce Gusto do have masala chai variants.)
Where can an average American get to taste fresh South Indian filter coffee?
The closest in taste would probably be coffee outlets in New Orleans where they still add Chicory to their coffee.
Leave USA aside, no Indian mainstream company has ever succeeded in nationalising either the machinery, appliance or the coffee, which delivers a beverage comparable in taste to fresh South Indian filter coffee.
What we mean, is the coffee that is retailed in street coffee outlets down south (e.g. at the Darshinis in Bangalore) or purchased from neighbourhood grocery stores & brewed fresh in South Indian homes - absolutely yummy!
Even Cafe Coffee Day, the national gourmet coffee chain which originated down south in the 90’s, relied on Italian machinery - Astoria espresso machines and Mazzer grinders, to serve standardised coffee beverages nationwide but never a true south Indian filter coffee.
(True South was incidentally their brand name for a packaged liquid coffee decoction they retailed claiming it tasted like true South Indian coffee)
Comentarios