Coffee
Loved
by a lot of people and probably hated by as many, coffee is one of
the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Everyone must have
heard about it at least once and probably tasted it too. It's a
bitter drink containing
caffeine, sometimes consumed with milk, sometimes with sugar (or
both) and a variety
spices like cinammon or cardamon.
A
coffee plant is an evergreen bush or tree that can grow up to 3
meters. It requires specific conditions and prefers high altitudes,
but it doesn't
tolerate freezing temperatures, so it's quite difficult to cultivate.
The biggest producers of coffee are Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia,
Colombia and Ethiopia. All of them are located in the so-called Bean
Belt which is an area between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer
where coffee plants thrive.
Coffee berries/
cherries
A bit of history
There is a very well
known legend about the discovery of coffee. It tells a story of an
Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi who noticed one day that his goats
became very lively and jumped all the time after eating berries from
a certain bush. Curious about it, Kaldi ate the berries himself and
this way he discovered their energizing quality.
It is unknown when and where exactly coffee was started to be grown,
but the first documented signs of this activity come from the 15th
century Yemen. Coffee cultivation and beans distribution was
monopolized by the Yemenis of that time until a man named Baba Budan
stole the bushes and fled with them to India.
Coffee
arrived to Europe in the 17th century thanks to widely-spread trading
connections Venice had with the Muslim world. At first Europeans had
mixed feelings about the drink, some even called it
the bitter invention of Satan, but this
did not stop the opening of the first coffee house in Europe, in Rome
in 1645, and spreading coffee to the rest of the continent.
Coffee Species & Roasts
Grown
in Latin America, India, Africa and Indonesia. It's very difficult to
cultivate and harvest because it needs high altitudes, takes long to
ripen and must be hand-picked at the right moment. Yet it's the most
popular (70% of the coffee bean market) and most prized from the
species used in coffee production. The famous and most expensive
coffee in the world, the Kopi luwak
is made mostly from Arabica beans eaten by civets.
Grown mainly in Africa, but also in India and South East Asia. It can
be grown at lower altitudes and is less susceptible to disease, so it
can be planted in areas where it's impossible to cultivate Arabica.
It contributes to 25% of coffee bean production in the world and
considered lower in quality by most. Usually used in instant coffee
which you can find in almost every shop.
I must say I've never heard about this species before, but it's not
that surprising because Liberica contributes to only 2% of world's
coffee production. Similarly to Robusta, it's more resistant to
vermin and diseases and can be grown on lower altitudes. It's native
in central and western Africa.
There
are three main roasts based on the color of beans. The Light
roasts, as you probably guessed, are light brown in color. The beans
have no oil on their surface because the roasting process wasn't long
enough to squeeze it out. It's used in milder coffee types. Medium
roasts are slightly
darker in color and stronger in taste, with no oil on its surface.
They're most common in United States, and because of that often
called the American roast. Dark roasts
are black and shiny from oil that breaks out to the surface in the
process. The colors range from dark brown to charred. It's most
popular in Europe.
Green,
unroasted beans on the left, dark roast on the right
Popular types of coffee
There
are many ways to make and serve coffee. One of the most popular is
the Brewed Coffee.
It's made
using drip coffeemakers that pour hot water through ground coffee
beans, filter the grounds and collect the essence in a pot or other
container.Espresso
is a strong black coffee made using steam that is forced through
finely ground dark-roasted coffee. It has a richer taste and more
caffeine than coffee made using other methods. It's a base for many
popular drinks like caffe latte, macchiato, mocha and Americano.Turkish
Coffee is made by boiling roasted and
ground coffee beans in a pot and then served in a cup with the
grounds still in the beverage. Of
course, there's also Instant coffee
which you only need to dissolve in hot water.
There are
some unusual things you can add to your beverage. For example butter
which is said to make the coffee even more energizing. Adding salt
can reduce the bitterness and boosts the taste of iced coffee.You
can also try to make Norwegian Egg Coffee – add an egg and water to
ground coffee, mix it into a paste, then boil this mixture in water
for two or three minutes, add some cold water at the end and strain.
The result? Extra-clear coffee with perfect color.
Coffee and health
Coffee is
often blamed for many health problems, including cancer and heart
diseases. There are certain risks of drinking coffee, especially when
consumed in high amounts. It can hamper the absorption of certain
minerals ( like magnesium and iron), raise blood pressure and change
sleeping patterns. But studies show that coffee and caffeine it
contains can also contribute to our well-being. Apart from the
obvious improvement of our cognitive functions and energizing quality
it can decrease depression. It also protects against certain diseases
like Parkinson's, diabetes and liver cancer.
Sources:
Comments
My sister visited a coffee plantation in Vietnam and showed me really cool photos. Anyway I would like to try Kopi Luwak one day, even though it's made the way it is ;) I just wonder if it tastes that good considering the price (110 grams for 45$)
I don't think I drink coffee very often, I used to drink it every day, but now I do it occasionally. It doesn't seem to be a habit, it is more about getting pleasure while you drink it and feel this smell and taste.
By the way, I'm drinking coffee now :)
https://youtu.be/296RGHaV_Vw
https://youtu.be/EXl7EP0OZQo
Unfortunately to protect myself from an addiction I drink Yerba Mate and Tea more often.
I've tried it and it's not anything extraodrinary but I have to admit - it tastes great!
And thanks for sharing a little bit of history - I didn't know that legend.
And what do you think about coffee not made of coffe berries? Like grain coffee or chicory coffee? Are they good enough to be called coffee or it's coffee taste beverage?
For few years I was a regular visitor of Cafe Bajka on Nowy Świat str., there was an old man named Janusz who invented the perfect way to spend there entire retirement and don't spend all of his money at the same time being drunk.
He was there whole day, every day, drinking turkish style coffee named "Black imp", adding to it his private vodka.
Lord rest his soul <3
Sadly, I seem to be completely immune to stimulating effects of caffeine; I can drink two coffees just before I go to bed, and my sleep will not be affected in any way. Not only does it take away the only aid in staying awake during morning lectures, but also transforms me into a real coffee-addict (because I drink it just for its taste). I try to control my urge to drink coffee non-stop, and replace it with Inka or decaffeinated coffee - recently Nespresso started producing decaffeinated versions of regular coffee blends, meaning you can still choose your favourite one, just a bit healthier :)
I would also like to try the famous Kopi luwak, although coffee with egg you mentioned in the article sounds rather disgusting :D By the way, if someone wants to taste an interesting coffee blend, I recommend a place called Ministerstwo Kawy on Marszałkowska street - recently I've tried coffee infused with apricots there :)
As to your question - personally, I really like Inka, but its taste is completely different from 'normal' coffee, I'd say :)
http://www.statisticbrain.com/coffee-drinking-statistics/
recommended documentary video about coffee (must watch):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oup37FsAW4
I like coffee. But I don't drink it too often. For me it is easy to get used to it, and I don't want to. I drink it from time to time, when I feel I can handle it. My favourite is caffè latte. I always drink coffee with sugar. Natural coffee, no powders.
What's your favourite coffee? Espresso? Latte?
Where do you like to get your coffee from? Starbucks? Costa? Or from grocery shop? If so, then real, natural one or coffee powder? 3in1?
Personally, I very slowly drink cup of coffy. This allows me to sit for long time in a cafe with friends and spend good of time. My favourite coffee is a latte - usually just ordering it in cafes.
Generally i heard only about disadventages of drinking coffee but you explained me that it has also a good impact on our health. Maybe everything in restraint is good for people.
And I really like your propositions, like adding salt, butter or egg haha but I don't think I am brave enough :D
According to amount of coffee that is safe to drink, I have heard that the daily limit is 400mg of caffeine. One coffee is about 80mg. So in fact we can drink 4 cups of coffee which in my opinion is quite a lot.
I have also heard that drinking one or 2 cups of coffee is actually quite good for our health!
Personally I cannot imagine a day without a cup of coffee :D I think it might be my small addiction :P First of all, it is some kind of ritual, every morning I just love to drink it :) It is perfect beginning of a day - I like to drink something warm in the morning, and I am not a big fan of tea (which also contain caffeine, quite similar amount!).
And I also really like the taste of coffee with milk. I also like to drink with a drop of irish cream syrup <3 Have you ever try this combination? :D
I was drinking green coffee and I like it too, but in my opinion espresso is the best, without sugar, without milk - clean espresso. But unfortunately I’ m afraid that I drink it too often :/
I really like idea of Norwegian Egg Coffee, maybe I will try? :D
I liked chicory coffee (Inca which Patrycja mentioned) when I was a kid, but I still drink it sometimes for the taste reasons, and maybe a bit of nostalgia. It definitely tastes different!
Yeah, it sounds rather disgusting, but I'm tempted to try it. :)
I didn't know about that maximum amount of coffee a day. Thanks! I've heard that 2 cups it's a lot already.
Thanks for the links!
I also enjoy the historic part of you presentation. It is really great to know that we owe this delicious beverage to pack of goats!
Highly recommend <3
I dont like to drink coffee (prefer tea), so i cant say much about it. About coffee vs health - if we do not overuse coffeee it cant be as bad as doctors saying it is.. But its really hard to say for me, because me and my family are not coffee-lovers
In health benefits part you didn't include its positive influence on metabolism - people often drink a cup of black coffee before excercising, because it helps to burn fat.
I don't drink coffee because I just don't like it. Many treat it as a drink of creativity and I agree with it - even the smell of coffee boosts my creative abilities and puts me in a good mood for work. That's why I have some coffee candles and this is the closest I can get to this mighty drink;)
However I sometimes have to help myself not to fall asleep when I have lots of work to do (or need to stay alive when changing time zones) and in such situations I take energising pills. They contain caffeine and taurine and work as well as a cup of coffee or a can of Redbull and my stomach doesn't hurt afterwards. I recommend it:)
I drink a lot of tea and have many different types in my kitchen - I would say that at least 25. They are also energetic, but only if you know how to brew them.
I don't really like the taste of coffee and I don't think it healthy, so I avoid drinking it. I don't need it for energy either.
I also don't think that coffee is good for you in the long run, sure it may have some good effect on you as you mentioned in the article but how much of caffeine actually helps you before it becomes harmful?
Also, I think that coffee is highly addictive, of course, anything that is enjoyable may be potentially addictive, but from what I have observed among friends and family coffee seems to grasp you really quick!
Good to know few thing about history of coffee - kind of a curio. What really got my attention are tricks and Norwegian Egg Coffee. I used to work as barista in coffee bar so I toungh nothing can surprise me. But I was wrong. Norwegian Egg Coffee - wow, I have to try it.
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