Ever heard of people with coffee makers next to their bed? Nothing perks up Americans (and most of the world) in the morning like coffee. But what’s the deal with coffee, and why do we love it so much?
Coffee, is made from the coffee plant’s roasted seeds, called coffee beans (bet you didn’t know that!) As the second-most traded commodity in the world, (next to petroleum) it is hailed as modern man’s primary source of caffeine. With it’s health benefits, and millions of people swearing by it, the perceived benefits and hazards of this potent drink remain the subject of debate among coffee drinkers worldwide.
Origins of Coffee
How about a little about the word “coffee”? The term “coffee” is known by many names among various peoples of the world. It came to England in 1598, via the Italian “caffe.” The Turkish term for it is “kahveh,” while the Arabic word for it is “qahwa.” Though its origin is still unknown, some believe that the drink possibly came from the Kaffa region in Ethopia, where the plant originally named “bunna,” the precursor of coffee, came from.
Interestingly, coffee drinking was outlawed in Mecca in 1511, and in Cairo in 1532. However, due to coffee’s immense popularity, the law was made obsolete soon after. From then on, owing to the pioneering efforts of the British and Dutch East India companies, coffee found its way to Europe in the sixteenth century.
Types of Coffee
One of the two main species of the coffee plant is “Coffea Arabica,” its name implying that its origin was the Arabian Peninsula (hence the classic Hills Brothers icon – a turbaned, bearded Arab in a flowing robe) but it is indigenous to Ethiopia. Although Arabica is more prone to disease, coffee lovers consider it to be more flavorful than “coffea canephora” (robusta), which holds twice as much caffeine. However, Robusta is proven to be a natural insecticide and stimulant, growing in places where the Arabica cannot grow. Thus, it is used as an inexpensive substitute for Arabica in commercial coffee blends and in almost all instant coffee products.
Compared to Arabica, Robusta is more bitter, with a burnt-rubber smell and taste. Finer quality Robusta is used in espresso blends for a foamy effect and for better affordability. In fact, Italian espresso blends are made from dark-roasted Robusta.
Some blend varieties are so popular and in demand that they command a higher price, examples of which are the Jamaican Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona coffees. Often, these beans are mixed with other, less-expensive varieties and the term blend is added to the label, such as “Blue Mountain Blend” or “Kona Blend”.
Hopefully you learned something about coffee. Go ahead, show off your new found knowledge of coffee the next time you’re next to the coffee maker at work.
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Written by rimam1
Topics: coffee, coffee maker, coffee makers