Here is a compilation of interesting and unusual
facts from the world of coffee.
Botanically speaking coffee beans are not really beans at all,
but berries.
Contrary to popular belief, darkly roasted coffees contain less
caffeine than lightly roasted blends. Caffeine is burnt off during
the roasting process, so consequently the longer roasted dark
blends have less caffeine.
It takes between 4000-5000 coffee cherries to produce a single
kilogram of freshly roasted coffee.
Coffee is grown in over 50 countries of the world but is not
grown anywhere on the mainland United States.
Coffee is one of the most heavily traded products in the world,
second only to oil.
A coffee tree has a life expectancy of 70 years and it takes
five years for a coffee tree to reach maturity.
In Turkey, husbands were once required during their wedding vows
to promise always to provide their wives with coffee and failure to
do so could be used as grounds for divorce.
Ludwig van Beethoven loved coffee and it is said that he used to
insist that precisely 60 coffee beans were used to produce every
cup he consumed.
When serving coffee to guests, it is the custom that the oldest
person sitting around a table is served first in Turkey and
Greece.
Rather unusually, the terms ‘supremo’ and ‘excelso’ are used to
indicate the large physical size of the coffee bean and not its
quality as one might expect.
The first commercial coffee house was opened in Damascus in
Syria as long ago as 1530.
The tradition of ‘tipping’ originated in London coffee houses.
Boxes labelled “To Insure Promptness” were displayed in certain
locations where patrons were encouraged insert cash to obtain a
quicker service. The resulting acronym TIP has stuck ever
since.
The human body will only be affected by caffeine up to a certain
level when coffee is drunk. This level depends upon the individual.
After a certain number of cups of coffee have been drunk (typically
4 in quick succession), consuming further cups will provide no
further stimulation as the rest is not absorbed.
Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world apart from
water and has been consumed for over a thousand years.
Soluble instant coffee was invented in 1906 by an Englishman,
living in Guatemala who later moved to the USA. Interestingly his
name was George Washington.
People from different parts of the world traditionally add
different ingredients to enjoy their favourite drink. The
Ethiopians add a pinch of salt, Moroccans’ add peppercorns, while
the Mexicans add cinnamon. Drinkers in the Middle East enjoy the
addition of cardamom and spices, whilst Austrians add whipped
cream. Egyptian coffee drinkers like it strong and dark and rarely
add cream or sugar.
Written by Fenton Wayne - (Fenton Wayne is an independent advisor
in the coffee and vending trade where he has over 25 years
experience. This article has been submitted to and distributed
by www.submityourarticle.com)