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Ah, coffee. Consumed either hot or cold by about one-third of the world’s population, it is occasionally worshiped by the tired, possibly hungover masses for its “invigorating” effect, produced, of course, by caffeine. Since there are overwhelming amounts of coffee-related facts out there, let’s focus on some coffee firsts.
• According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “One of many legends about the discovery of coffee is that of Kaldi, an Arab goat herder, who was puzzled by the strange antics of his flock. About AD 850, Kaldi supposedly sampled the berries of the evergreen bush on which the goats were feeding and, on experiencing a sense of exhilaration, proclaimed his discovery to the world.”
• The World Encyclopedia of Coffee tells us that the first coffee house came about in 1686, when an enterprising Italian waiter, Francisco Procopio dei Coltelli, opened Procope’s (still in operation). Though a “lemonade shop” in name, “Procope’s sumptuous décor and air of sophistication attracted a clientèle keen to distance itself from the more loutish elements of the day.” Soon coffee began outselling the other beverages, and Procope’s went on to become a literary salon boasting such visitors as Rousseau, Diderot, Voltaire and later … Napoleon! [Insert your own growth-stunting coffee joke here.]
• The International Coffee Organization reports that while Brazil is the largest exporter of coffee, the United States is the number one importer. The first license to sell coffee in the US was in Boston to Dorothy Jones in 1770.
• Though the company started off simply selling coffee to gold miners, Folgers now boasts that it’s America’s best selling ground coffee brand.
• Some people love the taste of coffee without wanting to deal with all that pesky caffeine. Fans of decaf can thank German coffee importer Ludwig Roselius, who in 1905 patented a steam process to make caffeine-free coffee without changing the flavor.
• Infamously, coffee played a key role in the 1994 McDonald’s lawsuit that resulted in a $2.9 million payout (later reduced in settlement) to an 81-year-old woman who spilled the piping hot beverage on herself. Of course, sometimes coffee on clothing can be a good thing. “When Marilyn Monroe married her third husband, playwright Arthur Miller, the ceremony was held earlier than planned. When she realized she didn’t have a veil to match her beige dress, Marilyn colored a white one by soaking it in a pan of coffee” (Source: Coffee Lover’s Bible).
How do you take your coffee? Where’s your favorite place to drink it? Got any other fun coffee facts?
[Previous Dietribes: Strawberries, Macaroni & Cheese, McIntosh Apples, Smoothies]
‘Dietribes’ appears every Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.
Comments (50)
Comment
Napolean -> Napoleon
posted by Ira on 2-27-2008 at 9:59 am
I also typo-ed on “Voltaire” - sorry guys, it’s been one of those weeks!
posted by InternAllison on 2-27-2008 at 10:06 am
I like pajamas, a cup of coffee flavored with a hint of vanilla, a comfy place to sit, and a great book.
posted by QuinO on 2-27-2008 at 10:17 am
From now on when I have coffee I will give a thanks to the Arab goats! How cool is that?! I take my Coffee black and I like to drink it pretty much anytime of day. I enjoy a cup in the afternoon and as the sun is setting. I have found that if I drink it in the early morning I am tired all day but sometime I have no choice. I had a teacher in high school who said to me “If you learn to drink your coffee black, you can almost always find a cup to drink.” The Folgers Columbian roast is the best ever.
posted by Amos on 2-27-2008 at 10:21 am
Amos, your post reminded me of a personal weirdness - coffee makes me sleepy. In fact, one of my Grandmothers used to drink it in the middle of the night if she woke up because it would send her directly back to sleep. I tried to look up causation for this, to no avail. Anyone else have this issue or know why it happens?
posted by InternAllison on 2-27-2008 at 10:28 am
I like taking coffee beans from those dispensers at the grocery store and sucking on them while I shop.
posted by Jake Le Master on 2-27-2008 at 10:31 am
Over by the coffee station at work I just saw an old Dilbert cartoon someone had taped to the wall. Wally says, “one day I realized that sadness is just another word for ‘not enough coffee.’”
Have another cup!
posted by Mr Badcrumble on 2-27-2008 at 10:44 am
Decaf coffee is not actually caffeine free … it’s just got less caffeine than regular coffee.
posted by ms on 2-27-2008 at 11:07 am
Ah, coincidence. I was just walking to our corner coffee shop to get a cup when I passed to young men exiting who were having a rather loud, obnoxious conversation about whether or not the barista who had just served them was or was not a “latte artist.” I live in a Blue Ridge Mountain town of about 100,000…Latte artists are not held at the highest of values here. Sillies.
posted by Christina on 2-27-2008 at 11:08 am
Oh lordy I do miss coffee! At work they only get the cheap stuff and it shreds my stomach. But, on the rare occassions I can get good coffee…oh, when it’s done right, it is amazing.
Do esspresso sometime!
posted by kitsana_d on 2-27-2008 at 11:11 am
Allison -
I don’t suppose you’re drinking decaf? :-)
But seriously, this is counterintuitive to some people but darker roasted beans actually have less caffeine content than light roasts. So if you’re looking to stay optimally wired, stay away from anything that says French Roast or Italian Roast.
posted by Ira on 2-27-2008 at 11:12 am
I’m a coffee addict. 2 large cups in the morning, brewed at home, not purchaced. Usually I’ll get another cup at work on my lunch break, either straight coffee, or an americano. Cream and sugar please.
posted by Jenny on 2-27-2008 at 11:24 am
I think the whole coffee makes you sleepy has to do with brain chemistry. the way caffeine effects different people. I’m not totally sure about this but I think read it in a med article somewhere.
I’m a Anderson’s coffee girl. they are local in Austin and are yummy! I only use a french press to make my coffee. My boyfriend and I are constantly making more coffee at home. Its a never ending process. We make atleast 8-10 6 cup pots a day. its a sad even when we realize we are out of coffee. when you ask him how he likes his coffee he says “with a cup around it”
posted by Sambo on 2-27-2008 at 11:33 am
Loved it, thanks Allison! I like my coffee with milk; I also like lattes a lot. Best in a coffee shop with a book, journal or some work (people watching included).
posted by Johanna on 2-27-2008 at 11:35 am
Allison, First off sorry that my comment posted twice(weird). I should have also said that I am a husband, musician, and have 3 year old. Soooo there are a lot of nights that I am dead tired but have to work after I put my daughter to bed and hang out with my wife for awhile. I don’t think Coffee helps me sleep at all!
The first time I used coffee to stay up late for something was in college. I studied all night for a psychology test. I went to bed around 4 after drinking 5 or so cups and could NOT figure out why mind was racing all over the place! Getting no sleep I went to take my test and had forgotten almost everything I studied the night before! Now I can blame it on those Arab Goats!
Le Master…as good as an idea as that is it really creeps me out for some reason! But, Hey. What every you dig man.
Have good days everyone!
posted by Amos on 2-27-2008 at 11:36 am
I would rather drink a bucket of monkey snot than drink coffee. I’m a Coke (legal) addict. I drink around 4-5 while at work.
posted by Anthony on 2-27-2008 at 11:39 am
I sweat I will stop filling up this with jabber….that cup of coffee on the top of the article is sooooooo bad ass looking. I like black coffee but I would totally drink coffee that looks like that! I guess the person getting coffee said in response to “Cream or Sugar?” In a British accent they replied….”I’ll have the trippy leaf creamer please.” Awesome!
posted by Amos on 2-27-2008 at 11:42 am
I seem to be the only non-coffee addict in my family. My parents regularly drink pots at a time and most of my sisters began drinking it by about 14. Try as I might, I’m just a tea kind of girl. Even then it’s ONE cup every so often, it’s not a must have for staying alert or anything. I should count myself lucky that I’m not in Caffeine’s evil hands!
posted by Tricia on 2-27-2008 at 11:56 am
Decaf coffee=death
just like
unsweatened ice tea=death
but to each his own i suppose.
And wow anthony, u must have had a bad childhood experience with coffee haha
posted by Rob on 2-27-2008 at 11:57 am
Hey, Anthony, instead of monkey snot, how about monkey poop?
The most expensive coffee in the world is called Kopi Luwak. Kopi Luwak is a rare and gourmet coffee from Indonesia that is made from beans passed through the digestive system of monkeys.
Bon apetite!
posted by Dman on 2-27-2008 at 11:58 am
one variation of the goat herder story was that he had noticed his goats were acting very lively and rash. jumping about and causing all kinds of mayhem. after every holy man in the area could exercise the demons out of these goats they brought the bush and the goats to the pope at the Vatican. now having an audience with the pope he tried one of the berries figuring since he was the pope he could not be possessed like these goats could. after he took a bite and realized how invigorated and energetic he proclaimed that the beans were not evil and along with the bean neither were the goats, which had been a satanic symbol up until this time
posted by chuck on 2-27-2008 at 12:09 pm
I’ve been a barista for two years now and I remember last year there was a HUGE shortage on Ethiopian coffee. We had to wait 3 months just to get five pounds worth of the stuff. Turns out, after a quick google, that there was a civil war going on in Ethiopia( The Christmas War) and that it’s exports had been almost halted. Also the Starbucks corporation had been trying to put an embargo on their coffee because there labor regulations and work environment were found to be unethical and cruel. But let e tell you, those kids out can sure pick a mean bean for my mighty fine cup of coffee. Seriously it’s delicious.
posted by chuck on 2-27-2008 at 12:16 pm
Plus 80% of Ethiopia’s exports is coffee
posted by chuck on 2-27-2008 at 12:18 pm
mmmm..coffee..
I drink it with flavored creamer usually; only take it black if it’s really, really good stuff.
Have to cut back, since I’m TTC. Any tips on how to deal with the withdrawal headaches?
Sambo, I might have to steal your boyfriends line. That’s great! :D
posted by mrs.djs on 2-27-2008 at 12:25 pm
I hate to burst your bubble but I hate coffee - don’t like it how it tastes or even smells (it makes me nauseous sometimes especially hazlenut flavoring). I’m a tea drinker for my caffine and even then its one cup in the morning on the way into work. During the summer I’ll drink Ice tea by the gallon but I stick to the decafe version.
For me its the sugar I add that makes me jittery not the caffine.
posted by Beth on 2-27-2008 at 12:50 pm
Last year I decided that drinking your coffee black is incredibly badass, and that I would embark on a mission to enjoy black coffee… and I failed. I tried using less and less milk and then I just couldn’t make the jump.
My grandmother drinks black coffee. She is so much more badass than me.
posted by Adrienne on 2-27-2008 at 12:55 pm
does anyone know anywhere good to get coffee in baltimore, besides starbucks and red emmas?
I’m looking for a nice coffee shop to do homework in.
posted by nick on 2-27-2008 at 1:29 pm
Personally, I can only take my coffee as a mocha. My heart stutters whenever I have too much caffeine, but usually just the smell of the coffee section in the supermarket is enough to pep me up.
posted by heather on 2-27-2008 at 2:12 pm
I had my first “coffeemilk” from a battle as a toddler. My grandmother was one to start us early with addictions….
Coffeemilk is about three inches of milk, an inch of sugar, and a 1/2 inch of coffee. and every inch is delicious.
My sister and I would not physicallyl get out of bed until our coffeemilk was brought round to us unitl we were well into our teen years.
Don’t worry, it was always decaf.
posted by WarTiger on 2-27-2008 at 2:25 pm
ah, OSLO. i used to live around the corner from the coffee place pictured in the photo and would make multiple daily visits. one of two places in all of NYC where you can get west coast style good, strong coffee. why can no one in new york figure out a) coffee or b) mexican food? at least the pot here is just as good. now that i’ve moved i have to sometimes, grudgingly settle for starbucks if i’m far from home and can’t make my own. or i make the trek to Colombe in tribeca that seriously makes the best coffee i’ve ever tasted. the sad thing about starbucks is that people who don’t know any better will assume that that’s how coffee is supposed to taste: bitter and burned on the front of the tongue with no middle palate register or tail end roundness on the back of the tongue.
posted by sam on 2-27-2008 at 3:01 pm
The comment about napoleon’s short height is a mistake. Napoleon’s elite bodygaurds had to be at least 6 feet tall making the emperor look short. At the time a french foot was slightly shorter than in English foot.
posted by John P on 2-27-2008 at 3:36 pm
I love coffee, there are so many different ways to drink it. I love it with Irish Creamer. Sadly, I suffer from migraines and after years of pain I relized caffeine was the culprit. So now I’ve switched to tea which for some reason, does not have enough caffeine to trigger my migraines. For the occasional coffee I allow myself I actually like the coffee at the Nordstrom coffee bar. It’s has a much more full and pure taste than Starbucks. Tea is delicious though, I love smelling and taste-testing at Teavana, it has become my new obsession.
posted by Brandi on 2-27-2008 at 5:13 pm
I absolutely love coffee! But not to the point that I drink multiple cups a day because that would make my tummy very upset at me. My gramma used to make me “soupish” when I was little (like 7 or 8). Soupish consists of coffee, cream, sugar and saloon pilot crackers with butter on them served cereal style. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t decaf and I still can’t figure out why she did it but I turned out ok for the most part. I’m the tallest of my sisters. Anyway, I love coffee. But I also love tea. My mom is very English and to the person who said unsweetened tea = death, I must say that I prefer it. Yum. Awesome post, btw!
posted by Leah Y. on 2-27-2008 at 5:21 pm
I’ve never had coffee. I can barely stand being in the same room as a cup of it. I get a headache and nausea from the smell. How people can drink the stuff is beyond me.
posted by S on 2-27-2008 at 5:29 pm
Coffee lover here. I roast and grind mine fresh every day. I try to drink only one cup a day because too much makes me eat too much when I’m trying to lose weight. But that one cup … yummmy.
posted by lleachie on 2-27-2008 at 6:36 pm
My Grannie used to put coffee in my bottle. I’ve loved it my entire life. I remember, pre ADD/ADHD days that children who could not concentrate or focus were often told to drink coffee in the morning before school. No sugar though. I think they were supposed to use those sacharine dot things.
And coffee doesn’t put me to sleep, but it doesn’t keep me awake either. If I wake up at 4 am, I often make a pot of coffee, drink a few cups and go back to bed. I think it is the warmth in your tummy. Maybe it is similar to warm milk?
I love coffee any time of day, but my favorite is Coffee with Bailey’s Irish Creme after a nice dinner.
posted by Karen on 2-27-2008 at 7:01 pm
Adrienne’s comment made me remember this hilarious thing from this past Christmas: At our family Christmas my little sister walked up to me and said “Wow - Grandma’s a badass!!” Now, my grandma is blind and in a wheelchair, not your typical badass, but apparently when someone asked her how she wanted her coffee she said black, so that made her a badass in my sister’s eyes! (And I guess she should know, she’s a barista…)
posted by Nicole on 2-27-2008 at 8:02 pm
I take my coffee with half & half and sugar, and have recently been on a kick with a caramel/chocolate flavored creamer; boy is that good!
At work there is always a pot of coffee on, but the people there brew it so weak it’s like drinking tea, so I’ve taken to using instant. I tried lots of different brands, and finally settled on Tasters’ Choice Dark Blend, mixed fairly heavy. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.
The very best coffee I’ve had was in England; several places I visited there had coffee so dark you could stand a spoon in it, but didn’t taste bitter. Most places here in the states just cannot pull that off, and I’ve yet to be able to at home. What is the secret to that?
posted by Dave on 2-27-2008 at 9:32 pm
Mmmm…coffee.
I drink mine with Splenda and a splash of half and half. We brew espresso roast at home, and brew it strong. My husband and I each take a travel mug full to work each morning. But that’s all we drink. Usually no coffee after lunch, unless it’s after dinner at a restaurant. Coffee does not keep me awake if I drink it at night.
My coffee philosophy: If you can see light through the coffee, it’s not coffee. It’s coffee-colored water.
posted by bre on 2-28-2008 at 11:25 am
I drink mine with a bit of cream.
Our coffee at work is horrid, so there are quite few days where my boss will look at me and say, “Good coffee?”, which means I need to go make some of the “real” coffee we buy and bring in from home.
We had a coffee blind taste test at work yesterday to choose the replacement for the horrid stuff.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of Dunkin’ and Tim Horton’s coffee. My husband often gets the “Can we go through drive-thru” question when we go out, which means I need my Dunkin fix.
posted by Jaime on 2-28-2008 at 12:59 pm
teddy roosevelt purportedly drank a gallon of coffee a day.
posted by matt on 2-28-2008 at 3:29 pm
One of my favorite cold weather treats that my mother got me hooked on is hot chocolate coffee. Take your favorite hot cocoa mix and instead of mixing with hot water or milk, dissolve the mix in a giant mug of coffee. Mmmm, just thinking about it makes me want some!
posted by Amy on 2-28-2008 at 4:19 pm
InternAllison: I share the same trait and I always thought it was just me. I have been known to nap after coffee. I don’t recall it ever making me jittery. What makes this even stranger is that I was diagnosed with a prolapsed mitral valve after an attack of arrythmic tachycardia (fast and irregular heartbeat) after I accidentally cut my finger at a summer job. The doctors blamed my situation on caffiene from the soft drinks I had imbibed.
My favorite coffee is the “Alabama Rivers Alliance” blend from the Higher Grounds Coffee Company here in Birmingham Alabama. They are very socially-conscious and a portion of their profits go to local non-profits. All you coffee afficianados should give them a try.
posted by harold on 2-28-2008 at 4:53 pm
(Continued) I should also mention that Higher Ground is the Micro-Roaster of the Year (according to Roast Magazine).
posted by Harold on 2-28-2008 at 4:55 pm
Frank Sinatra…The Coffee Song
www.sibila.com.br
posted by Alan on 3-5-2008 at 6:03 am
THE COFFEE SONG, WITH FRANK SINATRA
by Bob Hilliard, Dick Milles
Frank Sinatra recorded it for Columbia in 1946 and for Reprise in 1960.
Way down among Brazilians
Coffee beans grow by the billions
So they’ve got to find those extra cups to fill
They’ve got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil
You can’t get cherry soda
’cause they’ve got to fill that quota
And the way things are I’ll bet they never will
They’ve got a zillion tons of coffee in Brazil
No tea or tomato juice
You’ll see no potato juice
’cause the planters down in Santos all say “No, no, no”
The politician’s daughter
Was accused of drinkin’ water
And was fined a great big fifty dollar bill
They’ve got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil
[instrumental break]
You date a girl and find out later
She smells just like a percolator
Her perfume was made right on the grill
Why, they could percolate the ocean in Brazil
And when their ham and eggs need savor
Coffee ketchup gives ‘em flavor
Coffee pickles way outsell the dill
Why, they put coffee in the coffee in Brazil
No tea, no tomato juice
You’ll see no potato juice
The planters down in Santos all say “No, no, no”
posted by Alan on 3-5-2008 at 6:07 am
i lov emy cuppa early in the morning..black, no sugar, please. I love cold coffeee shakes but can’t haev that since I’m lactose intolerant.
Coffee gives me a kick, it makes me feel alive and awake. BUT, if I have it anywhere after 5 pm, it keeps me awake the whole nite.
posted by rosie on 3-5-2008 at 10:10 am
Coffee is my reason to get up in the morning! Bad things would happen if I ran out…
posted by Des on 3-5-2008 at 3:45 pm
There was a story about Voltaire and his love/addiction to coffee. Supposedly he drank about 60 cups a day and when someone told him that coffee is a slow poison he replied. “I think it must be for I’ve been drinking it for 65 years and am not dead yet!”
Coffee is also a terrific pain-reliever. I used to suffer from tension headaches so badly they would last for days-until I read how coffee increases the pain reliever in aspirin. Now aspirin and coffee and my headache is gone within an hour.
posted by Jody on 3-5-2008 at 5:01 pm
I learned from a friend who manages one of the big New York coffeehouses that the swil designs in lattes like the one pictured are made by free pouring the foamed milk into the espresso. Look on UTube for “latte art” and you can see some amazing videos of how this is actually done. Definately an art form!
posted by Sarah W on 3-13-2008 at 10:11 am