As children, many of us nestled on a parent or grandparents' lap, our chubby fingers reaching for the rim of their coffee cup, wanting desperately to experience the wonders within. We fondly remember the warm feeling of the cup and the clinking sound of the spoon as cream and sugar were stirred in.
How Popular Is Coffee?
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, next to oil. It is grown in over 80 countries, with Brazil, Vietnam, Columbia and Indonesia being the largest producers. Canadians sure do love coffee; studies show that we drink more than most people in the world.
Coffee berries grow on tropical evergreen shrubs and are harvested annually when they turn red. What we refer to as the bean is the seed inside the berry.
Cultivators have changed the coffee tree itself to produce new varieties. Consuming caffeine to get that morning jolt has come a long way from chewing on a bitter coffee berry.
There Is Always A Legend
Doing research for this article, I learned that there is so much history surrounding coffee. I don’t think I will ever look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
There is always a legend....coffee lore has it that:
- an Ethiopian farmer from the Kaffa Region noticed his goats became energized after eating berries from the coffee trees in 900 B.C. The goats were up all night. When the farmer tried the berries, he experienced a similar reaction.
- human ingenuity is what created many of the products we use today, including coffee. Yemen monks came across that goat farmer and decided to try the berries; they crushed the beans into a powder. When they added the powder to boiling water, they discovered this process resulted in a fragrant liquid.
- the monks embraced coffee because it helped them maintain a fast and stay awake to continue praying through the night.
- the idea of roasting the beans was conceived in Yemen in 1000 B.C.
- coffee production expanded through the 17th and 18th centuries
- through trading routes, either legitimately or smuggled, coffee beans reached the rest of the Middle East, Europe and Southeast Asia. Coffee beans were brought to America in 1600 and from there to Canada.
- in 1910 vacuum-packing technology was invented to help extend the freshness of coffee
The word java, to refer to coffee, comes from the coffee produced at the Dutch East Indian colony of Java. Someone liked how that word sounded and it caught on.
The coffee trade has a dark history. When it became clear that demand for coffee was increasing, large plots of land were cleared to grow the product. This created the need for a large number of workers, resulting in people being forced to work as unpaid labourers. They planted and tended the shrubs and then picked the berries by hand.
Harvesting Coffee
Coffee is now harvested either by machines that strip the berries off the branches, or some are still selectively hand-picked as they ripen. The fleshy part of the fruit is washed away, and the beans are then processed and sold whole or ground.
The Coffee Industry Today
Current purchasing agreements promote a fair trade approach; producers in developing countries are paid a fair price for their work and products by companies in developed countries. These practices help secure adequate wages and rights for workers. Issues still exist; unfortunately, labour inspectors work in countries to free enslaved workers who fall into the grasp of unscrupulous employers.
The Coffee Pot
The way we make coffee has evolved from a pot over an open fire, to a percolator on the stove, to electric coffee machines to the high-tech machines of today. People no longer have to strain the coffee grounds through their teeth; we’ve seen basket filters, individual cups and pods. Many buy beans and grind them for the freshest morning coffee. Coffee creamer has evolved from a simple squirt of cow's milk to a multitude of processed flavours. Today there’s barely a home in the industrialized world that doesn’t have a coffee maker.
Medicinal Uses
Caffeine in a stimulant drug that naturally occurs in coffee. Centuries ago, coffee was touted as a miracle drug. Its proponents said it was good for the stomach and for clearing off the effects of overindulgence of liquor.
Coffee consumption appeared to increase concentration and drive away fatigue and lethargy. Individuals briefly regained their sprightliness and vigour. Do you feel spritely after you have your morning coffee?
Coffee Houses
Coffee houses were the rage in the Arabian world since the mid-1400s. Similar establishments opened in Europe in the mid-1600s. Coffee houses started adding cream and sugar for those who found the taste too harsh. These coffee houses were places of deep discussion among the populace. Still a fitting description for coffee row today. Governments worried about the potential for plots against them being concocted over a cup of coffee so coffee houses were banned in some places.
Women were also upset about their husband’s attachment to this newfangled beverage. A group of ladies in London started a petition against coffee and called it the devil’s drink.
Coffee Rationing
To ensure that there would be enough for the troops, coffee was rationed for almost a year during WWII. A family was allowed one pound of coffee every five weeks.
If there were ever a significant coffee shortage now, the resulting mayhem would not be pretty. Refer back to the toilet paper hoarding of 2020.
Instant and Decaf
Instant and decaf coffee were invented over a hundred years ago. For me drinking decaf is like going on a diet; I stick to it for a short while and then fall off the wagon. I have never cared for the flavour of instant coffee, it is just nasty.
The Coffee Cup
Hard-core coffee drinkers have their favourite cup and become irritated and hostile if they discover some fool using it. It is akin to reaching for a dog’s dish when it is eating. Carrying a thermal coffee cup around is like a security blanket for some people, like Linus and his blanket. Coffee mugs have long been a popular gift item. Who has received a coffee mug with a slightly amusing saying on it as a gift? A show of hands, please.
Does anyone remember these diamond design cups?
Brand Loyalty
Coffee connoisseurs are often fiercely loyal to a particular brand and will go to whatever lengths are necessary to get it. When coffee goes on sale, get out of the way as people come in droves to stock up. Some familiar brands are Folgers, Maxwell House, Nabob, Tim Hortons, Starbucks and Melitta.
My morning coffee is something I think about when I wake up and look forward to enjoying it. I only drink coffee in the morning, as consuming it later in the day has me awake until late into the night. I have no clue how people can drink coffee all day and claim to sleep like babies at night. I guess you build up a tolerance to it.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Drinking Coffee
The consumption of coffee has been controversial for a long time. There always seems to be another study; it’s so confusing. I have seen interesting studies on the positive effects of coffee on a variety of diseases. I think, like with many products, moderation is the key.
Benefits
- memory booster
- high in antioxidants
- enhanced brain function
- boosts metabolism
Drawbacks
- jitteriness
- anxiety
- insomnia
- stomach complaints
- rebound fatigue, as the effects of caffeine are short term
- withdrawal when consumption is abruptly stopped
Specialty Coffee
Starting in the 1990s the specialty coffee industry exploded around the world; serving espresso, cappuccino, latte and cafe mocha to name a few. I call it fancy coffee. A person whose job involves preparing and serving different types of coffee is called a barista. There are many courses available to learn the necessary skills including latte art and pouring. There are different cup styles and sizes to go with these options. Ordering coffee is now a language in itself. You need to be able to talk like an auctioneer to order a specialty coffee. I’ll have a double double with a triple triple with low fat something or other and so on. I used to panic and just order a plain coffee, now I am bold enough to order lattes and cappuccinos. Then there’s the whole pumpkin spice craze.
Coffee Speak
- Tall = Small
- Grande = Medium
- Venti = Large
- Skinny = Espresso-based drinks that use 2% milk, not whole milk
- Espresso = A strong coffee
- Mocha = Coffee and hot chocolate
- Cappuccino = Espresso with a thick layer of foam
- Latte = Espresso with a semi-thick layer of foam
- With room = Leave room for cream
- No room = Full cup
- Single/double/triple shot = Number of pumps of espresso you want
Rare Coffee
There are rare coffees like Kopi Luwak grown in Panama that sell for $600 a pound. A pound of Black Ivory coffee from Thailand will set you back $1500.00. These beans are gathered after they are partially digested by animals, namely, civets and elephants, respectively. The enzymes in their digestive tracks change the flavour of the beans. Many of the beans are damaged during this process, though, so the few that are gathered are valuable. With my luck, I would spill it and then be reduced to slurping it off the table.
The Strongest Coffee
The bean juice with the highest caffeine level is made by an American company and aptly named Death Wish Coffee. It claims to give you twice the buzz of regular coffee.
Coffee Break
Coffee illicits feelings of warmth, comfort and nostalgia in us. Drinking coffee brings people together. The term a cup of joe is sometimes used to refer to coffee as the common man’s drink. “Let’s go for coffee sometime”, “the coffee is always on”, “stop by for coffee” are phrases we’ve all heard or used.
Cream and Sugar?
How do you take your coffee? Black, with cream, sugar; has this ever changed? I have taken mine with cream all my life.
The Hits Just Keep on Coming!
I debated whether I should break this news to you or not. Everyone has had to accept the fact that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are not real. Juan Valdez has appeared in ads since 1958 representing a Colombian coffee farmer with his trusty mule packing sacks of coffee beans down a mountain. I have to tell you that Juan Valdez is indeed a fictional character as well.
Favourite Coffee Quotes
- “May your coffee kick in before reality does.”
- “May your coffee be strong and your Monday be short.”
- “I will start working when my coffee does.”
- “Life is too short for decaf.”
- “All things are possible with caffeine and mascara.”
- “A day without coffee is like… just kidding I have no idea.”
- “Life happens, coffee helps.”
- “First I drink the coffee. Then I do the things.”
- “Decaf coffee only works if you throw it at people.”
- “Wake up and smell the coffee.”
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