Coffee?

Q. Coffee History?

A. In the 6th century, Ethiopan goat herder kaldi noticed his flock acting very energetic after nibbling the berries of some bushes. Kaldi had the same feeling after tasting it so he brought some to the local monastery. The head monk threw them into the fire to destroy them but after smelling the burnt berries, pulled them out and mixed them with water to make a drink that made the monks awake during long hours of prayer.

A coffee drinking culture developed in the Middle East during the Ottoman Empire. Coffee houses grew in Mecca, Damascus, and Istanbul. In 1511, Mecca’s governor banned coffee houses and the brew because the coffeehouses became center of political instigations, intrigues, etc. The crusaders did not talk about coffee during their campaigns. Some believed the Arabs refused to socialize and thought coffee as too precious to share with crusaders. Pope Clement I, banned it, tried it, changed his mind, and blessed it thus allowing Europe to drink it. The Dutch conquered Ceylon in 1656 and opened plantations there. In 1976, England took Ceylon from Holland and exported coffee beans worldwide until a blight wiped out the crops. Luckily, Mocha [in Yemen] at the same time, was a Dutch Port exporting coffee. In the 18th century, a French naval officer stole a coffee sprig and planted it in the French colony of Martinique. Later, a Brazilian army officer stole a coffee sprig in French Guyana, in South America. In the 19th century, Holland [with plantations in Indonesia and Caribbean] England [with Kenya and Uganda, African colonies] were the biggest suppliers of coffee to Europe while Brazil and much later Colombia monopolized the supplies of coffee to America.

Q. I’m Getting sleepy.

A. Have a Java.

Q. A what?

A. Up to the early 50’s, java meant coffee and 3 songs about it became top hits 1. Java Jive, 2. they grow a lot of coffee in in Brazil and 3. A small café, No. 2 and 3 were sinatra hits.

Q. [Yawn] tell me more.

A. Coffee has a chemical called caffeine which is a stimulant, you stay awake longer with it. There are two bean species 1. Arabica and 2. Robusta: Arabica is divided into 2 kinds 1. Mild 2. Brazilian or Santos. They grow best from 2 to 6,000 feet in partial shade producing a harder fine quality bean. They grow in East Africa, Asia and South America. Robusta a hardier species grow in lower attitudes and grow in Central and West Africa and the Pacific. It is harsher in flavor and fragrance it is the most common bean in blended coffee. Experts rate from 1 to 5 the best coffees; 1. Mocha- Genuine mocha comes from old coffee trees in the mountain tops of the Arabian Peninsula. Genuine mocha coffee has a creamy mellow winy taste which some compare with chocolate. This created a confusion in chocolate/coffee flavoring in ice cream called mocha. 2. Jamaica Blue Mountain. This is very expensive and sold mainly in Japan Fake brands print Jamaican Blue Mountain when they mean 1/10 of the beans came near Jamaica’s Blue Mountains or in some other Jamaican mountains- none in the Philippines 3. Hawaiian Kona- grown in small plots on the southeast coats of Kona, the biggest Hawaiian island, this is very popular among pseudo- coffee critics because they can afford to buy it. 4. Colombian- Juan Valdez posing besides bags of Colombian coffee beans allowed Colombian coffee to overtake Brazilian coffee in name recall but in volume, the world’s number one has been Brazil for 80 years. 3 Regions produce the best beans, Medellin, Armenia and Manizales. 4. Sumatra. (The best’s beans are from Mandheling and Ankola) 5. Brazilian.

Q. What is café ti native?

A. This is native coffee of Ilocos.

Q. Decaffeinated coffee.

A. Coffee with less caffeine

Q. Explain.

A. A cup of coffee contains 50% more caffeine [about 100 milligrams] than a cup of tea. It can be found in coffee and tea that stimulates the central nervous system.