Brew it Yourself

WHETHER BREWING WITH PODS, FILTER EQUIPMENT OR HIGH-END ESPRESSO MACHINES, COFFEEMAKING HAS FOUND A NEW DESTINATION-YOUR KITCHEN

- SMITA TRIPATHI

Namrata Sriram, a Delhi-based HR consultant with a leading multinational firm, is a self-confessed coffee addict. Five to six cups a day is the norm for her. “It’s a wonder I get any sleep at all,” says the 35-year-old. While she grew up on a healthy dose of South Indian filter coffee in Bengaluru, her university years in the US turned her towards cappuccino. “I had a favourite café that I went to regularly. When I returned to India a decade ago, the coffee revolution here was truly on its way and I had enough cafes to choose from,” she says. But all that changed during the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns. “Of all things, I think I missed my coffee the most,” says Sriram.

Like most of us, she started brewing at home. This was the time when each one of us discovered our hidden inner chef and barista, and dalgona coffee became the new trend. “Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I just wanted to better my cup of coffee,” says Sriram.

One thing led to another and before she knew it, she had invested in all sorts of equipment—from coffee scales to milk frother to coffee grinder and, of course, coffee machines. “I love experimenting and now brew all kinds of coffee at home,” says Sriram.