It's Not Just Coffee, It's...

Starbucks!

The news is out in India and apparently in Illinois (according to my mom) that Starbucks is coming to India.

The Seattle Times says that between September - December of 2012 (only a mere 50 stores) with them opening in Mumbai (yes!) and Delhi.

For me, it's a little slice of home in a cup.  For India, however, it's a mix of emotions.  I read about the news last evening in a Times for India article.  People are weighing in on Starbucks' arrival.  They note the cost of a cup versus the poverty here, the globalization of brands like Starbucks, taking away business from Indian coffee chains, the weather (according to one person it's too hot in India for a large cup of coffee) and the youth using it as a status symbol.

Can't argue with some of the complaints and when I think about the U.S., we have some of the same issues but just not at nearly the extreme level as in India.

For me, I like Starbucks.  I've tried others here and just haven't been as happy here.  When I get a coffee, latte or cappuccino when I'm out, it's not that it's about Starbucks, it's just no place has delivered what I wanted.  Some of it is that I'm in a tea drinking nation so rather than complain, I sip my coffee with extra sugar, order some yummy masala chai (tea) or just make my coffee at home.

I'm looking forward to my first Starbucks in India and also for my next Starbucks shot as well.  Oh and as a friend said on Facebook, a new mug too.

Seattle Starbucks, the original outside Pike's Place Market

Sweet!

On Saturday, during our shopping spree, we made a final stop on the way home.

The Parsi Dairy.

Rick and Kelli suggested a few things to try:  cream, yogurt and a a pastry (of course I can't recall the name).

My favorite?  The yogurt or curd.  It comes in a clay pot.  It's a rough clay pot that's not even on the bottom so it likes to roll around on the countertop.

It might not look like yumminess but oh you don't know what you're missing.

Breakfast this week's been lovely.  Each morning I open the fridge and put my fruit salad into a bowl.  Then I cut up a few bananas (remember they're small here) and top it with yogurt.  Stir and sigh.  Along with coffee and Parsi cream.

Rick and Kelli also told me their housekeeper's able to make Parsi yogurt now for them.  Here's to hoping Espe can continue the sweetness of my mornings.