Classic . Review on Nescafe Classic

History

Coffee was first discovered in Northern Africa (present day Ethiopia). A popular legend refers to a goat herder Kaldi, who observed his goats acting unusually frisky after eating berries from a bush. Getting curious, Kaldi tried eating the berries himself. He found that these berries gave him a renewed energy. Monks hearing about this amazing fruit, dried the berries so that they could be transported to distant monasteries and reconstituted in water for the stimulating effect.

Coffee berries, then spread to Yemen and Turkey, where coffee beans were roasted for the first time over open fires. The roasted beans were crushed, and then boiled in water, creating a crude version of the beverage we enjoy today.

Coffee then travelled to the European continent by means of Venetian trade merchants. It is said that even the then reigning pope put his seal of approval on this drink!

Coffeehouses spread quickly across Europe becoming centres for intellectual exchange. Even now, this legacy has echoes in 'India Coffee House' (maintained by the India Coffee board) at various cities. In the early eighteenth century, coffee spread to the Americas from a single plant to over 19 million trees in a span of 50 years. The sub-tropical climate of the South Americas was perfect for the Coffee plant.

No wonder, coffee is supposed to be the most common beverage second only to water.

Coffee has to be enjoyed in its original glory from perfectly roasted and freshly ground beans. In case you do not have the patience for it (or the know how!) then settle for instant coffee powders. (Besides in filter coffee the decoction cannot be stored for a long time .. you need to consume it immediately.) If you prefer pure coffee, then there is nothing to beat ''Nescafe Classic''. I do not know whether they pioneered the instant coffee product, but they have always been there for many years. Over the years I have found the Nescafe aroma and taste quite constant .. should be their superior process and stringent quality controls. Now with the granulated powders, the freshness is better preserved and the problem of hygroscopic agglomeration is minimized to some extent.

How to relish your cup

For the pure coffee connoisseur, it would be just coffee powder in hot water .. neither milk nor sugar. Giving some consideration for the Indian taste, my suggestion would be to take it with moderate milk and just about enough sugar / sweetener to leave some residual bitterness in the drink.

A word of caution - do not gulp down lots of coffee as it contains caffeine. Coffee in moderate quantities is good and invigorating and if made well could soon get you addicted.