One Black Coffee

      The one black coffee mentioned in the title is the first thing I bought in the US. So what is there to write about it ? Well, that is something that will confuse anyone who is not familiar with the ways in the US, like me when I was waiting for my connecting flight at the JFK airport in New York. I feel that it is much easier to buy something from a supermarket or to order something in a restaurant in India. It is because we don't have much choices in things and it, if you ask me, makes life much simpler. Well, atleast for a newcomer like me who is not well-versed in the american style of life.

        So here I was, "fresh out of the boat", waiting in the lounge of the Delta airlines when I wanted a coffee. I was having a bad headache after the long journey and I thought that a coffee would do me good. I went to this flashy (and expensive) coffee shop in the lounge. Now, I am one of those guys who has seldom been to Cafe Coffee Day or Barista in India. It is because I did not have any of those in Kothamangalam, Kerala (where I did my engineering), which was kind of good because I could hang out with friends and have a good time at a decent place, without burning a hole in my pocket. So considering that, when I went and ordered a coffee, I expected the sweet and hot coffee made with milk. So, naturally I was confused (and irritated) when they gave the most bitter black coffee possible after paying an equivalent of 100 rupees. But to be fair to the coffee shop, there was creamer and sugar for one to take and mix with coffee, but we will never get the sweetness and thickness of our ordinary Indian coffee.

          Now, that is what I was talking about when I said about the confusing stuff that a newcomer to the US will face. So, apparently, I should have ordered a Latte or Cappucino if I wanted something that is comparable to the good old coffee which we get in India. It is not that I did not see latte, cappucino, mocha, white mocha and all the other kinds of coffee in the menu board, my brother who is studying in Bangalore would have understood what those meant, but I did not. One, as I said, I have seldom been to a Cafe Coffee day and two, atleast the names should be in a language that I could understand. Like mocha (pronounced "moka" not "mochcha" ) is actually coffee with chocolate on it. 

            Same if you go to a restaurant. If you just look at the menu and think that you have decided upon an item, wait. The waiter would want to know how it should be cooked, what sauce you need, how much cheese etc etc on an order which you know nothing about. I mean, coming from dosas, chappathis and biriyanis, when you are asked about how well cooked your steak must be, what can you say ? (by the way, well cooked steak is supposedly the lowest grade of steak...). Or go to a supermarket. You want milk. You have to choose between 2% milk, 4% milk, whole milk, skimmed  milk, vitamin c milk and a lot other varieties. In India, when you order masala dosa, you get masala dosa. When you order tea, you get tea. It is simple, direct. You don't care and so don't have to worry about what masala they put in masala dosa.

                But then, I don't really care about the type of milk and how well cooked the steak must be, but for a new comer, these are confusing stuff. As for me, I am lucky enough to have my relatives here, so I am learning stuff pretty well. Once I get used to these, I think I will start appreciating the number of choices which you have here, not just in restaurants and supermarkets, but in everything. Well, new country, new experiences, it is fun for me and even ordering one black coffee can fill a blog page if you look at it in the right manner.....