COFFEE in a can? Big deal, just go to the nearest 7-Eleven, right?-
Not if you want the real thing.
Long before Nescafe and Pokka came along, anyone wanting takeaway coffee in a can went for a kopi kong — freshly brewed kopi served in a condensed milk can.
Once commonly used for takeaway kopi, the kopi kong is now a rare sight, found mainly in older kopi tiams.
The kopi kong goes so far back that stallholders cannot even remember when the practice of carrying kopi in a tin can with a raffia string originated. As far as they know, it had always been around.
According to Mr Jeffrey Soh, 34, owner of the drinks stall at the Boon Hwa Food Centre in Jalan Besar. The kong, or tin, was simply "a convenient container for takeaway kopi because of the tin's size and shape".
While Mr Soh admits that the kopi kong does have its "own taste", he still thinks that kopi tastes best in the traditional thick cup and saucer.
Kopi kong began to decrease in popularity with the arrival of the polystyrene foam cup, which offered the same convenience and was perceived as more hygienic.
However, Mr Soh is quick to point out that the cans are usually rinsed in hot water before being used for takeaways, so fans of kopi in a tin need not worry about hygiene. They can also assure themselves they are being more friendly to the environment.
Today, kopi kong still has its fans.
"There are a lot of office workers who buy kopi kong," says Mr Soh, who leamt to make kopi from his father and has been running his Stall for over 10 years. "Some customers like it so much that they insist on having the tin."
Taken from the Strait Times 26 Nov Friday 2004
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