Madras Filter Coffee
- 01
- October
- 2009
Madras Filter Coffee:
Grandma’s Filter Coffee. Mommy’s Filter Coffee. Madras Filter Coffee. Iyengar Filter Coffee. Agraharam style Filter Coffee.
My Mommy is a big time coffee lover in the family. She used to prepare it, in a much authentic way…probably the way she adopted from my Grandma. Buy coffee beans, roast it to perfection(that is each week), powder them (just before preparing it)…filter it – ‘Besh besh romba premadhama irruke’ (Wow wow too good). This was a ritual until some few years ago. Later, she switched to a particular brand ‘where they freshly prepared (‘Roast & Powder’) right in front of you! Mommy used to send her servant to buy ‘coffee powder’ from that particular shop…almost every 5 days once. Hmmm, so very particular about the aroma and flavour.
I am ain’t that good with these kind of stuff…always lived alone in the hostel/flats…all I know is ‘One should not hate the food, that is presented in front of you’. Anyway…I too enjoy Mommy’s filter coffee!:)
I remember this vividly, summer(2003, I guess)..myself and my brother visited home at the same time! Yeah, it happens once in a blue moon! So mommy took us to Valparai (Located at Western Ghats) for sight seeing. It is also called as ‘Cherrapunji of South India’! Valparai is all like stretches and stretches of Tea estates, (and coffee plantations?)…mostly owned by private companies. It is a thick reserve forest…elephants and Bisons…and all.
We happened to take a stroll in the industrial site that day. A very good gentleman tried to explain us things around. ‘How they harvested tea leaves, sun dried it, ground it…whatever the tedious procedure took to bring perfection in the granules..how it reaches packaging stage..how they approach distributors..sell them to a retailer and stuff like that. He was all blah blah, from morning till afternoon! Somehow, he finally concluded ‘this is how they prepared tea’! My brother asked ‘Why the hell you guys struggle so hard for a cup of tea…you could have done with just 1rupee in a nearby tea kadai(shop),lol.
Anyway, I remember all his sarcasm…miss the fun lately. Wish, things were the same..as it used to be back then! Did I mention ‘Valparai’ happens to be my Mommy’s favourite place in the Universe…
Ingredients:(makes for 2)
Coffee Beans 4 spoons (toasted beans, okay)
Granulated Sugar to taste (Mommy uses 3/4 spoon for a cup)
Farm fresh whole milk (1 cup)
Coffee grinder
Traditional Coffee filter/ Coffee maker will do.
Method:
I am not good with ‘roasting the beans to perfection, so used the one here (pre toasted, dark ones)
Grind the beans.
Add the coffee powder to the basket/filer and a spoonful of sugar, right now.
Yes, yes that’s right in the filter…this gives a nice tint to your coffee.
For every 2 spoons of powder, add 1 cup of water…wait till it percolates completely.
Well, to this strong decoction, add the remaining sugar. Mix well.
Finally add steaming hot milk to it. Coffee ready.
Traditionally they either use steal or silver wares, to serve this coffee. Both are good conductors of heat…so, be careful…while handling or sipping! Always ceramic mug, is my choice tho’.
Hey u bring back my memorize me of Pollachi where my MIL makes filter coffee using Narasu..
i love filter coffee…Nicely presented malar…
never saw anybody posted recipe for filter coffee.New and nice post malar.We too love filter coffee and doesnt compromise instant ones
i can smell the nice fragrance of coffee. i too love coffee very much
i don’t drink coffe…but those dishes look great…
i remember my paati sending me to get freshly ground coffee powder every other week. it was all most like a fortnight ritual. never been to valparai. Yes, being a tambram u are always judged by how good a coffee you can make.Love the agrahaaram style coffee.
Besh! Besh! Coffee romba nanna irukke! ;D Even my daughter drinks filter coffee twice every day! Coffee with silverware…Nice!
Besh! Besh! Coffee romba nanna irukke! ;D Even my daughter drinks filter coffee twice every day! Coffee with silverware…Nice!
Loved the filter coffee. i can smell my mom’s coffee now, thanks for kindling my memories malar!
Myself,a coffee lover too,but keeping away for long now..Reading you reminded me of so many things about coffee.We usually have the habit of buying coffee powder from chennai whenever we visit.We somehow believe that chennai is having great coffee.May be the reason why many shops showing the name board of ‘chennai coffee powder’..Lovely.Isn’t it Malar ? Next time,am goin straight to your mom..lol.
Filter coffee does bring back so many good memories
…love the silver set Malar…looks very good 
I love filter coffee…nice coffee set dear..
Hi Malar, Thanks for visiting us and leading to your lovely site
It looks awesome..
Oh wow! what a great post on one of my must haves in life – good filtered coffee.
Oh my! I always bring back filter coffee when I go to India
)
Looks so good, wish I could taste it!Droolworthy presentation…
Your post made me nostalgic. Miss filter kaapi!!
Besh besh romba manna irukey!!!!
Malar, you brought back those good old days right before my eyes in an instant.. I still remember my mom and grandmom fighting over which “freshly-ground-powder” is the best!!
Love your presentation!!
Me too an avid coffee lover; but have switched to instant powder for convenience’s sake!!
Thanks for dropping by! You have a great blog.. ! Following you!
Had it long back, superb Malar..
Hi Malar,
Thank u so much for sweet comments..Very nice presentation..i love filter coffee..
Great post on filter coffee Malar. I’m really missing filter coffee:)
Looks lovely! I have the same german silver set (is yours german silver?). I got them from Vummidi Bangaru. Oh I wish I had brought it to US.
I aint a great coffee person. I am sure its a great post for filter coffee lovers. Besh besh rhombha nalla irruku!
(courtesy: Narasu’s coffee ad)
Very beautiful presentation.I love filter coffee very much. As I am from South India so everyday I used to have filter coffee.
Nice reading your filter coffee write out and presentation..Can’t imagine the smell of freshly toasted and ground coffee…wish i can have some
Hi Malar,
…Love all post!
Im a coffee lover…Thanks for posting this authentic way of preparing it…now i know the secret how
Unique post!!! Hmmm…I’m just getting the aroma of your enticing coffee!Great blog…thanks for those lovely words!
iam a cofee lover missing so much ..
nice click dear