The sweet taste of heaven, in a bottle. Review on Kahlua

Tonight’s my night. No husband, no children either, and friends are all blessedly busy entertaining themselves or somebody else. I have a mushy movie on my dvd player, a mud pack on my face, and a bottle of kahlua by my side - heaven!

For those of you yet unfamiliar with this ambrosia (if there's any of you still out there) let me shine some light :) on that particular dark corner of your mind.

kahlua is a drink that was first made in mexico at a time when your grandma would have still been in her diapers(if they had diapers then, of course!) and has charmed its way into the hearts of liqueur lovers world over. it’s coffee based, and as different from its parent as is the most brilliant diamond from a lump of coal.

Kahlua is a smooth, rich drink that looks like dark, liquid amber, has the divine aroma of coffee and caramel, and just enough bite to prevent it from sinking into an overly heavy sweetness. inhale deep of its fragrance, let that sip of liquid gold linger on your tongue for a bit before you allow it to slide down your throat, close your eyes and savour its heavenly flavours. there’s coffee, there’s caramel, and if by now you’re not already reaching for your glass again, as the gentle burn in your throat subsides, you’ll notice the subtle taste of vanilla blooming on your tongue.

It is supposed to be sipped, and not drunk by the bottle, but it just might please you so much, that you will want to repeat the experience over and over- * caramel, coffee, and mmmmm...vanilla, aah...caramel, coffee and ...oh god, i’m sure i’ve died and gone to heaven...vanilla...*that before you know it, you’ve has 26 top ups, the mushy movie on your dvd is over, the pack on your face has dried to a consistency that needs a hammer and chisel to remove, and the bottle you are clutching so lovingly to your chest has just 3 precious drops left in it!

while I prefer my kahlua straight, no rocks, no additives, no nothing, there are a thousand creative souls who have tried hard to gild this particular lily. so you have -

• the brown cow - kahlua in a tall glass, over ice, topped up with cold milk (perfect for when you feel guilty about drinking, yet can’t stop)

  
  




• the b-52 - kahlua with amaretto and baileys (too much of too many good things and a bit too sweet, if you ask me!)

  
  




• the paralyser - kahlua, vodka, tequila, some coke (the liquid kind) and a dash of cream (it’s a deadly combination, and is likely to leave you lying comatose under the table by the time you’re done with it)

  
  




• the russians - black if it is just kahlua and vodka, and white if you throw in some cream.

  
  

There are plenty of other combos with names like bj, kinky o, etc. and it’s always foxes me that folks would want to ruin a good drink by mixing it up with (the names of) sexual acts!

If you like your drink in your food, you can do sinful things like slice a citrus cake in two (horizontally), drizzle a bit of kahlua over the lower half, set the upper half on it and serve it to your surprised and very grateful guests with a dollop of ice cream (if you’re feeling generous, that is. if it were me, I would eat it all by myself)

You could also jazz up some vanilla ice-cream with a splash of kahlua, or even add a few drops to your coffee. the possibilities are endless, really, and all of them result in nirvana.

Kahlua, is perfect served as is, in tiny liqueur glasses, as an after dinner drink, and a bottle (at just over a Rs.1000/-) makes a very welcome gift.

Now for the part that ruins all of this fun - kahula is high, very high, in sugar and calories. it also packs quite a punch with its 26% alcohol content, if you’re drinking the regular version. if you’re quaffing the kahlua especial, which is the slightly less sugary (less girly some say) version, which has a touch of bitterness and is equally divine, the alcohol content is 36%. while that is lower than a rum or vodka which has 43%, I can’t quite see anyone reach for 13 top ups of the latter!

Men tend to sneer when women eagerly reach for their tiny flutes of kahlua, but don’t be fooled by that girls. before you know it, they will be begging for just a splash of it over their ice cream, or for a sip that becomes half a bottle. hand them their OMs and their whiskeys on the rocks, and threaten to chop off their fingers if they touch your kahlua.

enjoy!

ps. if you intend to drive, don’t drink. if you must drink, get somebody else to drive.