Coffee is a popular beverage enjoyed throughout the world. Coffee culture is ubiquitous in Western societies. Coffee culture is on the rise in Nepal too. A supermarket has launched a coffee shop in its premises and every time I visit the supermarket I see throngs of people enjoying coffee. Cafés are sprouting in major hubs in cities throughout Nepal and they serve coffee in various forms such as espresso, café latte, cappuccino, café mocha and iced coffee.

A cup of coffee is an ice breaker. How many friendships have been set over a cup of coffee? How many relationships are bonded over coffee dates? We enjoy conversations with friends and families over a cup of coffee, piping hot or ice cold. An acquaintance can be solidified into friendship with the offer of a cup of coffee. Most of us are guilty of spending our first dates in cafés high in caffeine, slightly on edge but thrilled nevertheless.

I can see the emerging coffee culture in Nepal via social media. My instagram account is flooded with pictures of cups of coffee with their trademark patterns. These enviable frothy cups of coffee are decorated with patterns of leaves or hearts.

Here in Nepal, coffee is mostly popular during winter. In the chilly winter seasons, nothing beats the cold like a cup of coffee. But I don’t think I am the only one who enjoys coffee in summer too.

Despite the heat and the humidity, I take coffee in summer mornings. Mostly I take it to shake off the lethargy because I am not particularly a morning person.  Even the aroma of warm roasted coffee is energizing whether at home, at coffee stalls or café.

There are varieties of instant coffee in the market. Dried coffee beans are roasted to varying degrees to create different kinds of flavors. The chemical and physical properties of coffee beans change when roasted. Coffee isn’t just an ordinary beverage. Coffee is acidic in nature and contains caffeine. This is where coffee has an edge over other beverages such as tea.

Coffee due to its caffeine content acts as a stimulant. Research has shown that mild consumption of coffee on a regular basis is beneficial to health. In summer we typically enjoy cold drinks to beat the heat. However, there are coffee addicts like me who prefer a cup of hot coffee regardless of the weather. I believe that good times call for a cup of coffee and meaningful conversations with loved ones.