Baking & Feature| Journey into a ‘Mysore Royal’ cup of coffee … & royal coffee macarons
“Coffee is a way of life!”
Sunalini Menon, India’s coffee ambassador
Regular readers of my blog need no introduction to my all time favourite flavour … COFFEE! It’s my first love in food that shows up in layered cakes, cookies, biscotti, panna cotta, ice cream and so much more. Coffee makes the beginning of my every morning bright, so you can imagine my excitement when I got an invite to meet India’s Coffee Baroness, Sunalini Menon.
She was in Delhi to conduct an exclusive coffee cupping and food pairing session to unveil Café Coffee Days {CCD} latest premium coffee, Mysore Royal, that she had created for India’s leading coffee café chain. Walking into CCD that morning transported me into a space I love best. Give me a quite café any day, filled with lilting coffee aromas, the buzz of experienced baristas perfecting the much needed cuppa, the ambiance. 
Mysore Royale is an aromatic Arabica coffee grown on the ancient slopes of the Bababudan Mountains near Bangalore, the historic mountain which has seen the journey of the elixir of life, coffee. Bringing this unique majestic brew to life is credited to Ms Menon, the connoisseur, the artist. Speaking on this new blend, India’s coffee ambassador says, “With flavours of bittersweet chocolate, caramel and the whisper of rich, ripe fruits, with flecks of sweetness, Mysore Royal is a full bodied wholesome rounded cup with lilting brightness to make you feel like royalty.
The experience was mesmerising, nothing short of magical. Just the name transported you into smooth luxury, a blend that announced its class. What else would you expect from a label that entices you with bittersweet chocolate, caramel and hints of rich, ripe fruit owed to the enthralling diversity of the Rajgiri plantation. I don’t consider my self a ‘coffee literate’ person by any standards and hence my intrigue into the coffee cupping session that morning.
The super talented, soft spoken, warm lady is a virtual coffee encyclopedia. She knows the coffee bean inside out {each layer of ‘the fruit’ it comes from}, each strain by the name or number, is well versed with coffees from Ethiopia, Uganda, Vietnam, Brazil, Columbia, knows leaf viruses that attack plants and equally well the inventors of different coffee making machines. Her journey into the coffee cup covered all that and more – the viscosity and the texture, blends, origins, plantations in India, fair trade representation, barista coffee competitions … and so much more!
She demonstrated five different techniques of brewing Mysore Royal – Indian Filter {dabba filter}, French Press, Stove Top Espresso, Siphon and Electric Drip Coffee Maker, each altering the taste of the coffee, giving the taste buds a different treat. She’s been in this line for over 30 years and is responsible for putting Indian coffee on the global map.
Talk tea and you think India. That seems to be about to change with the energy the lady has unleashed on the coffee front. Our greatest strength seems to lie in ‘gourmet‘ or ‘premium’ coffee. Sunalini also treated us to pairings with the coffee, spoiling us with crisp oatmeal honey cookies, light cheesecake, deep divine warm brownies, hummus surprise sandwiches among others … all from the café.
I think this robust coffee will pair well with food like Lime Buttermilk Pound Cake, New York Style Bagels, Espresso Coffee Cream Cake, Chocolate Almond Olive Oil & Whole Wheat Biscotti, Whole Wheat & Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ulyana’s Almond Cake {fat free}, Stone Fruit Tea Cake and of course macarons! You could tell the magic worked on me. I was back home and brewing Mysore Royal for Mr PAB {a true coffee lover too} thanks to the goodie bag with tins of Mysore Royal and the French Press from Cafe Coffee Day.
Six ‘brewing’ minutes later, the aromas of the coffee awakened our senses, then the kids asked for their share. I brewed some more with hot milk, then chilled it for them for the next morning. Slurp, slurp! ‘This is really good Mama‘, could be heard for long. “Is there more? Please???” 
A step further, change of season and coffee drinking days are here, so of course I had to pack in some coffee for Mactweets, as this month, we celebrate the equinox with Macarons de la Saison! What heralds this season for you? For me, the nip in the air signals for that cup of coffee. I made a quick batch of Mysore Royal coffee macarons, picked the lilting flavours of bittersweet chocolate and coffee for the butter-cream within. NICE!!
Paired beautifully with a well brewed cup of Mysore Royal. Coffee days are here again. With a blend that entices the palette with flavours of bittersweet chocolate, caramel and the whisper of rich, ripe fruits, would you be tempted to try some? I think we can tempt the firmest of tea drinkers to cross over and feel the magic that coffee has to offer!
Do you want to join us making MACARONS?
If you do, you are most welcome to join us for the challenge. You can find all the information at our dedicated macaron blog MacTweets. We generally post the round-up by the end of every month, following which a new challenge is posted!
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Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
38 Comments
Rosa
There’s nothing better than a good cup of coffee with macarons! A wonderful after dinner treat.
Cheers,
Rosa
Jamie
Ah, up popped your Mactweets macs post in my email box and I smiled to myself as I saw “coffee”. Yes, that is Deeba, our ultimate coffee lover. I also am nuts for coffee and coffee-flavored desserts and adore coffee macs with chocolate filling. These are just perfect and make me want to make some myself. Today.
This event looks just wonderful and your photos are stunning, as usual. Lucky, happy, coffee-loving you! xoxo (ps… I’m back!)
Renata
Oh Deeba, your post got me in a special moment, when I’m struggling to accomplish my first ever macarons (two failed batches ). Your macarons are always so beautiful and you make it sound so easy to make. I won’t give up though.
What a great event! So many delicious treats to pair with our beloved coffee. I’m from Brazil, a land of great coffee, too. You were so lucky to meet India’s Coffee Baroness… how cool is that!
Apeksha
You have beautifully captured the essence of that day Deeba! Great post n superb pics as always!
bellini
I am still too afraid of failure to get my feet but I love this particular flavour combination Deeba.
Anita Menon
What a classy combination! Thanks to you, we now know who’s behind CCD’s success.
Lovely post, great photos, and stunning macaroons
thelittleloaf
Wow that creamy coffee filling looks divine…perfect for a mid morning pick me up. In fact could do with some right now! 🙂
Khushboo @ Two Megapixel Food
Coffee is my all time favorite flavor too Deeba. Yet to try CCD’s Mysore Royal though. Have you tried Bru’s Brazil range? It is quite good 🙂
gloria
Dear Deeba, absolutely nice and yummy post!! gloria
gloria
Yours pictures are amazing! gloria
Tadka Pasta
Enjoyed the pictures and your description of a lovely coffee-filled day.
Jane
I’m with you, Deeba–I absolutely adore good coffee. Mysore Royal must be pretty fantastic stuff. And these macarons look more than heavenly. As always, your photos are just gorgeous!
meeso
Mmmmmm, coffee… I can understand the obsession! There’s little that is better in this world <3
Heavenly Housewife
I just got a copy of Pierre Herme’s English edition of “Macarons” and I just might be inspired to try my hand at this again! These came out lovely, fabulous flavour.
*kisses* HH
Jill @ MadAboutMacarons
Deeba,
You have opened my eyes and realised that in India you don’t just drink tea! That sounds so dumb but have been inspired by your coffee post and meeting Sunalini Menon, such a wonderful, dynamic lady. Beautiful macarons as always – coffee is another of my favourites and lovely to have such an interesting background like this. Cheers!
HI Cookery
How lucky you got to meet a true coffee expert who inspired your macarons of the season. The pictures of the variety of desserts look so mouthwatering, as does your delicious coffee macarons! As always, wonderful post.
Sinea
Coffee goes with everything…absolutely everything. I love the flavor of coffee but guess what I love more?….the scent! There is nothing like opening a fresh can of coffee or the aroma of a pot brewing. Yum.
chinmayie @ love food eat
I am reading this at 8 am without a cup of coffee in my hand!! I am heading to my kitchen now! lol…
Sally - My Custard Pie
My teenage daughter has just started to make macarons. I wonder if I can persuade her to make these? Your beautiful pictures should inspire her.
marcellina
Yes, you are so right. Say “tea” and most of us think “India”. I was not aware of the production of gourmet coffee in India. Your post is as informative as it is beautiful with a great recipe as well. Coffee macarons, my favourite. Actually, like you, coffee anything!
Ameena
I have such a weakness for macarons! And to have them with coffee? Talk about a perfect combination.
Lovely photos Deeba…you are an amazingly accomplished cook, writer, and photographer!
Poornima
If I had to choose one flavor, coffee it will be!! Deeba if been drooling at your macaroons for so long…I’ve yet to try baking them!!
Mysore Tour
Amazing Cafe with great variety of coffee this is something which i miss when i was in my Mysore tour.they served me what exactly i was looking for.
Best Regards
Archi Mehra
Pan Cuisine
You are an inspiration! If you ever plan on food-tasting session, do care enough to invite me :)…i’ll book flight and coma alight 🙂 Cheers!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes)
That event sure sounds like fun. I was busy for the Mumbai session, but now I wish I had made it. The macs look great 🙂
offmotorway
I’m with you, life would be nothing without coffee! And the combination of coffee and chocolate is, of course, unbeatable. Those macaroons look amazing!
Angela
I am always in awe whenever I visit your blog. Your photos are amazing and your macarons just perfect. Like you I enjoy a good cup of coffee and appreciate even more where it is harvested and the hard work involved since I come from a family of coffee farmers. Thank you for giving me yet another perspective on the elixir of life, coffee!
Katherine Martinelli
I also love love love coffee and it sounds like you had a great experience! These macarons are to die for. Stunning.
Joy
The macarons looks great.
Simone
O those look really good. I’ve actually been to Mysore when I was in India a few years ago so ofcourse when I saw that title I just had to come and take a closer look. I love coffee too although for some reason I only really love it in it’s fluid form… No coffee in my food for me!
Alli
What a fabulous event to attend, all that knowledge, coffee and treats and fabulous company all in one place.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
Oh my mother would have been in heaven there! I think her love of all things coffee may even rival yours. lol Sounds like it was an incredible experience.
Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite
These are awesome Deeba – what a wonderful post! Please think happy feet thought for me on Friday evening as I give my first ever macaron class here in Toronto!
Françoise | ChocoParis
I could almost smell the rich aroma of coffee wafting off the screen as I read your post. Coffee is such a wonderful flavour in pastries and desserts. Your photos are beautiful and so are your macarons. I will have to try your coffee buttercream recipe.
Lora
What a wonderful coffee experience with the “Baroness”. Your macarons are stunning as usual.
shaz
Lovely post Deeba, I cannot imagine why I once hated the smell of coffee. Now I get cranky if I don’t get my daily dose 😉 Your macarons are stunning, looks like the feet game has become effortless for you now.
Vikram
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