Coffee: More than a beverage, something of a beloved
1 October is celebrated as International Coffee Day; here is a love-letter to that debonair and delightful darling
With its rich history, intricate flavours, and unparalleled ability to awaken the mind, coffee is more than just a beverage. Indulging in a cup of coffee is a sensory journey that starts from the hearth of history, steeped in colours of culture and creativity, towards a destination of caffeinated camaraderie.
From a cursory view, coffee may appear as a simple infusion of beans and water – often augmented with spices, cream, sugar and milk. But the debonair dark drink goes much deeper.
The very act of savouring coffee has a poetic essence. There is amore, enigma and epiphany, a concoction bewitching the senses - transcending the mundane.
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An intimate and afferent affair – a coffee ritual is more than sustenance; it is a serenade that sings through the seasons of life – glee, grief and all the gray and gold in between and beyond.
Coffee rituals, steeped in tradition, vary from one corner of the world to another – each, an intricate colloquium of culture, community, companionship, and contemplation. There is seduction, romance, introspection, refuge and solace. Each sip is often like a caress and dare one say even a kiss!
In Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, it is a sacrament, celebrated with a ceremony that is both ceremonial and spiritual. From the bustling coffee shops of Istanbul, where Turkish coffee is an art form, the flamboyance of Italian espresso and cappuccino to the minimalist elegance of Japanese pour-over, famous Indian Coffee House of Kolkata with an eponymous song after it and last but not the least – Dhaka's busting cafes; every culture has embraced coffee, adapting it to its own unique rhythms and rituals.
From the coffeehouses of 17th-century Europe, where ideas and enlightenment flourished, to the bustling cafes of the modern world, a cup of coffee has been no less of a torch. In the quiet moments of morning, meandering chaos of midday office, the languid afternoons of reflection and romance or evenings of aloneness - coffee is the ever-faithful muse.
The very act of brewing coffee becomes a ritualistic performance, engaging all the senses. From the delicate drip of water into the grounds to the rich, resonant hum of the grinder, coffee's preparation is a symphony of sensations that prelude the main act.
Beyond its sensual allure, coffee is an adhesive that binds communities together. It very often poses as a proem that eases conversations and dissolves the boundaries of formality. It creates common ground for acquaintances to become friends and friends to become family.
Around the world, in coffee houses the clinking of cups and gentle hum of chatter form the backdrop to countless stories shared and memories made. Coffee, in these settings, transcends its role as a mere drink, serving as a catalyst for connection.
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, coffee offers a precious sanctuary—a moment of solace and contemplation as one takes sips of the cup.
As one indulges in the debonair dark beverage, the world outside dissolves into a distant murmur, and they are left with the intimacy of thoughts.
The quietude of a coffee break can be as profound as any meditation, inviting introspection and creativity to bloom. Coffee has served as conveyance of cognizance for writers, artists, thinkers, and dreamers, it is also the push for stressed and tired workers.
Coffee is more than just a beverage, it is the personification of a human experience – at times it is a beloved friend or a lover, and at times it is the silhouette that stands by our solitude.
International Coffee Day is a testament that coffee is a universal language, spoken in countless dialects across the globe. This diversity is a testament to coffee's ability to bridge cultural gaps and bring the world closer together - one cup at a time.
