Corey writes:

I love coffee. I am a coffee snob in training. One of the things I miss about home is going down to the Strip District at 8am on a Saturday and getting a cappuccino from La Prima Espresso and a scone from Enrico's. Or sneaking down to 21st Street Coffee on a "sick day" afternoon for a macchiato. Gina only encouraged my habit by getting me a burr grinder a couples years ago. Now that sweet machine is rotting in some storage facility :-(

When we moved to India, I reserved myself to the idea of not having any decent coffee for two years. Don't get me wrong, coffee is widely available here, but it's the instant variety. However, I've found a reliable source for fresh roasted coffee beans here in Koraput! Set your sights low, my friends, and you'll never be disappointed.

There are a few differences in the process of making coffee here. The first is that I have no way to grind the coffee beans on my own. I've outsourced this job to our neighbors, to one of the shopkeepers in town, and now to the canteen at work. In exchange for grinding my coffee beans, I decided to whip up a batch of "real" coffee for the folks at work.

Here you see our friend Soumya, hating the coffee. "No milk or sugar???!!!" she exclaimed.
So with no further ado, here is my recipe for making coffee in India:

1. Get a pot and put some potable water in it. Whisper thanks to the municipal water department gods if you get potable water from your tap. You are lucky.
   
   
2. Boil that water.
3. Once it reaches a boil, kill the heat, and let it sit for 8 seconds. Not 9, not 7. (Water boils at 212 F and coffee brews at 200 F)
4. Add about a Tbsp of coffee per cup of water
   
   
5. Put a lid on it. (You want to try to maintain 200 F during the brewing process)


6. After four minutes, remove the cover. Wha-lah! Coffee! Strain into a cup and drink. Don't drink the dregs.