Watermelon Cold Brew

 I’m a lover of classic coffee. As a millennial, I cling to the quintessential South Indian filter coffee and scoff at that new fangled, pretentious, cinnamon flavoured 'Tired Bird’ dip bag coffee-like products. So, when I found this great cafe close-ish to home that does a good flat white, I quickly settled into a weekend routine, popping by there for a weekend post workout treat. It comforted me to have a favourite cafe again, after having lost Black Coffee Pharmacy in Bonn (to the hippies), and then Kaffeesaurus & Treibgut because I moved. The cafe has a large outdoor space, so once the oppressive heat gave way to only mild sweating and discomfort, they decided to organise a handicrafts festival in the backyard. I headed there and impulse bought some earrings and stickers, before my resolve to ‘support the arts’ gave way to grumpiness at the humidity. I found the kitchen and asked the guy manning it to make me a non-sweet, refreshing drink. It was 8 pm, so I was expecting something bubbly and cold. Instead, this man has the audacity to make me what turned out to be a watermelon cold brew! After the first sip, my suspicion that this mild flavoured drink was caffeinated and would keep me up till 3 am was overruled by the deliciousness! I was neatly tricked into expanding my tastes, only to discover that it was not yet too late to teach an old dog new tricks.

This dog has also jumped on the Ahmedabad trend, nay craze, of pickleball. My first time playing a racquet sport, I am elated with every point I win and each drop shot that makes it across the net. However, all’s not rosy on the court, as it turns out that going to the gym a few days a week where one regularly runs out of time to do cardio, and then sitting in an office chair all day, is not conducive to building stamina. Yet, huffing and puffing, I am proud to report that I am able to salvage some points with a combination of sheer luck and determination to not play so badly that I am not invited the next time.

It turns out, if one is open enough, one can find a way to be happy even in Ahmedabad (atleast in winter!). Despite the obnoxiously loud neighbours, poor work ethic and unhealthy addiction to cheese, besan and sugar; there are some cozy cafes and warm people waiting to be discovered. And that’s what’s filling my cup. Sometimes with watermelon cold brew.