Coffee – Some Interesting Facts

Waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is an indispensable part of practically every household the world over. For obvious reasons, nobody sings praises about the aroma of tea although there are innumerable tea drinkers. Coffee holds a very distinctive place in the hearts of coffee lovers. If you consider the number of cafes and coffee shops coming up everywhere, and the ever expanding menu, even ordering a simple coffee can be a daunting task.

You must be familiar with the names of the different types of coffee that are given on the menu but not too familiar with what goes into each coffee. Many people are reluctant to try anything new and stick to the first brew they like and find themselves with the same coffee all the time. Each coffee has its own singular taste and you should try out new concoctions each time as you might find some other coffee that is richer and tastier.

The Turkish Coffee and the Espresso are dark black strong coffee with no milk or cream. Café au Lait is double strength coffee with heated milk while Café Latte is Espresso with coffee flavoured syrup and milk. The Machiato is Espresso with a dash of aerated milk and Irish Coffee is laced with whiskey and topped with whipped cream. Cappuccino is Espresso with a little milk, and a light sprinkle of spices on top. Café Mocha is not what you can call ‘real coffee’ as it is made of instant coffee, cocoa, and chocolate syrup with a little milk. Even though most coffee drinkers like their coffee hot, Iced Coffee made with Espresso, whipped cream, and crushed ice, also has a diligent fan following.

There are primarily two types of coffee beans; the Robusta and the Arabica. The Arabica is more expensive and well known because of its rich aroma and flavour. Instant coffee is usually produced from the Robusta beans because of the cost factor. If you know your coffee, you will admit that coffee made out of freshly roasted and ground coffee beans give out the best flavour and aroma. The final flavour of the coffee depends on how the bean is roasted. Freshly roasted beans should be used only after a day if you want the best flavour. You can store it in an airtight glass jar for two weeks.

Coffee is said to reduce a number of health risks including dementia, Alzheimer’s, incidence of cancer, gall stones, tooth decay, gout, etc. It is also said to protect the liver and heart, and acts as a diuretic and laxative. Coffee is not advised during pregnancy, and is said to have a few adverse effects like staining of teeth, hypertension, and sleep disturbances. According to research, women are seen to benefit more from drinking coffee than men. Moderate intake of coffee is definitely beneficial to health.

Coffee was first cultivated in the 15th century in the Ethiopian highlands. But it was only the last century that saw coffee being grown in Australia. Australian coffee cultivation became truly viable only with the introduction of mechanical harvesting in the 1980s. The coffee growing areas in Australia are northern parts of Queensland and New South Wales.

Half of the 200 to 600 tonnes of coffee produced in Australia is exported. Even though Australian coffee is advertised as being organically produced, there is a substantial increase in the use of insecticides in coffee plantations which make such a claim dubious.

The most expensive coffee in the world comes from Indonesia and parts of Philippines and East Timor. Kopi Luvak, Motit Coffee, Kafe Laku, and Kape Alamid are some of its more common names. In Vietnam, where the same coffee is reproduced using chemical stimulation, it is called Weasle Coffee. This coffee is produced from the coffee bean that has been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet, passed through its digestive tract, and passed out undigested in its original shape by the civet. These beans are then collected, completely cleaned, dried in the sun, and then lightly roasted to produce the most aromatic and least bitter coffee in the world. The price per kilogram of Kopi Luvak is around US $700!

Although making your own steaming mug of coffee has its plus points, it is not always feasible. You will agree that sipping an exotically brewed coffee in your favourite café, with your book or a good friend for company, offers a much more pleasurable experience. We hope you enjoyed these Interesting coffee facts.