As soon as Ravi and Ranganathan brought us from the station, Soundara brought us good, strong coffee with milk and sugar. Let me say, there is nothing as heart-warming as South Indian coffee. (And I speak as one who loves the coffee in Spain.) There's a special technique in making South Indian coffee and combining the hot milk, pouring it back and forth and then serving it, and it was just the thing to shake off our travel weariness.
(There is also a special technique to drinking this coffee in such a way that the cup never touches one's lips. Everyone makes it look so effortless that I once tried it, sure that it was easily done. Well, it is not. I got coffee all over me!) You can learn more about making it and serving it and the utensils required at this blog site.
Ravi (our nephew) had to go to work after he dropped us at the house. Later in the morning his father (Rajan's 2nd brother) came over, and the morning was spent with the brothers visiting and other relatives telephoning to set up times for visits. Later in the afternoon, Soundara and Rajan and I walked over to visit with Kalyani's family three streets away. (Raghavan and Kalyani -- another brother and sister-in-law -- live in Pittsburgh, but they own the house at Virugambakkam.) A couple of weeks after our return from the trip, Kalyani's mother passed away; it's a time of sadness for them all, so I will wait to post about the paintings Renukka (Kalyani's sister-in-law) does. This just isn't the time.
Each time we go to India, by the third day I feel I've been there forever. Time seems to stand still there, and India has a way of just seeping into
16 Comments on Virugambakkam, Home Away from Home When We're in Chennai, last added: 3/15/2012
Display Comments
Add a Comment
Sounds like quite an experience. You made me feel like I was there too.
There's nothing like Indian food, is there?
I've never been to India, but from everything I've ever seen or heard about it, it's a world of it's own.
Theresa, I'm glad you felt that way. I love sharing India. There is more tto come.
Richard, you are so right. It's another world, but after a few days it feels like the only world. No doubt due to the hospitality India is famous for.
I am absolutely loving your posts about India. With speak with such warmth and appreciation about this beautiful diverse culture and land.
You are not a Brahmin, but in what category would you fall, Elizabeth?
Joanna, I'm glad you are enjoying the posts. As for the category in which I would fall: spiritual but not formally attending any church, a blend of Christian with a strong Hindu leaning. (Gandhi found them compatible; so do I.)
I've never seen a cuckoo and that coffee looks AMAZING! These posts have been so wonderful. :)
I've never had South Indian coffee. It sounds fabulous. So glad you had fun!
Looks like you had a great time in Chennai. Did you have a typical south Indian tiffin( breakfast) complete with piping hot filter coffee.
Wow! That sounds amazing! I'm loving the bird call. I really want to visit there someday. It sounds just wonderful!
Hi, Lydia & Alleged, yes, the coffee is fabulous. No other way to describe it. It's strong, though.
Hi, Rachna, yes we always have a typical tiffin with coffee made just that way. Yum. When we came home, the first thing I did was make a batch of idlis.
J.A., yes, that birdcall gets me every time. It's a sound I've just never heard except there. It's so different from the cuckoo clock cuckoo.
I'm curious about that coffee drinking technique.
Ah, Mark, it's hard to explain. They tilt their head, raise the cup above their lips, tilt the cup, and the coffee flows, waterfall style, but neatly, right into their mouths. In my case it flowed, not so neatly, all over my blouse.
Lovely post and lovely people. Sounds like a grand time.
It would be so nice to travel and broaden my horizons. Thanks for sharing your journey with us! :)
I suspect with much practise one would acquire the coffee drinking skill, providing that is, you´re not too burnt or too wet. By the way is the coffee hot or lukewarm?
I have seen here where wine is drunk from a bag( I shall look up the exact name) and again if performed correctly looks impressive. Not quite the same if the wine ends up everywhere but the mouth!
David, believe it or not, I used to feel I never wanted to travel. We moved a lot when I was a kid, so that's probably why. But it only took one trip to another land, and I was hooked. And it really has broadened my horizons, as you said.
Terri, the coffee is HOT. But you are right, practice would make perfect, etc. I'd like to see wine drunk from a bag. Maybe the next time we are in Spain.