Coffee
"A Hot & Bitter Love Affair"
CLAIRE FELICES ruminates on what that addictively robust dark bean means to us mere mortals ...
“I bought a decaffeinated coffee table, you can’t even see a difference.” - Author unknown.
Dark and sensuously alluring, strong and full-bodied ... such are the attributes normally associated with attraction and the ability to command attention.
Yet these passionate adjectives are equally at home when used to describe how we want our coffee.
No beverage has ever tickled the senses or the brain more than coffee. A single whiff can wake a person up ... in a split second we can be eagerly anticipating the first sip of satisfaction hitting just the right spot.
That first liquid hit can be crucial - it can make or break the tone of the day.
Should it be exact to one's taste, thoughts of the rest of the day stealthily creep in - the firing of ideas and energy - the metaphysical machinations of the mind.
Most of which become relegated to the back of one's consciousness until the draining of that first cup - or the second or the third.
“No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils.” - Henry Ward Beecher.
The History of Coffee
Coffee has had a long tumultuous history across the centuries. First made as wine used for Muslim religious rites and ceremonies, it spread slowly to other parts of the globe through barter. Since then it made its way to the streets and pubs of the modern-day world, down even to the humblest abodes, a refreshing offering for any weary head that enters the door. Yet as it flowed through monarchies and religious orders, coffee has also been banned many times - the reason being that people initially become idle - yet ultimately coffee then triggered subversive impulses and actions as a result of discussion and debates credited to the stimulating effects of caffeine consumption.
A PROCLAMATION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF COFFEE HOUSES: "Whereas it is most apparent that the multitude of Coffee Houses of late years set up and kept within this Kingdom - and the great resort of idle and disaffected persons to them, have produced very evil and dangerous effects; as well for that many tradesmen and others, do herein misspend much of their time, which might and probably would be employed in and about their Lawful Calling and Affairs; but also for that in such houses ... diverse, false, malicious, and scandalous reports are devised and spread abroad to the Defamation of His Majesty's Government, and to the disturbance of the Peace and Quiet of the Realm; his Majesty hath though it fit and necessary that the said Coffee Houses be (for the Future) put down and suppressed ..." - King Charles II of England, December 23, 1675, revoked on January 8th due to widespread citizen protest.
For centuries coffee has widely been regarded as a social beverage. Most coffee houses then and now offer the pleasures of meeting up with friends or associates in stress-free surroundings, over chess and backgammon with friendly banter, business dealings or merely just to hang out and catch up. Conversations overheard may be that of idle gossip to issues on policy and governance. Variations of acoustic music, plush ambience and a multitude of snack and hors d'oeuvres complete the settings ... or it could be al fresco over park benches or rooftops, or from boardrooms to bedrooms. It's shared over smiles and laughter or tears even over a fiery argument morning, noon and night and all the hours in between.
"It was a pleasant cafe, warm and clean and friendly, and I hung up my old water-proof on the coat rack to dry and put my worn and weathered felt hat on the rack above the bench and ordered a cafe au lait. The waiter brought it and I took out a notebook from the pocket of the coat and a pencil and started to write." - Ernest Hemingway.
Acquaintances of promise are sealed or rejected over a cup of coffee; a chance to explore the possibilities of a personal and/or business relationship. Nothing is as non-threatening as getting together for a cup of coffee as long as you don’t elucidate how you like it made directly after the invitation. Once you're in the cafe, though, the more specific and articulate you are about your preference, the more social status you acquire there on the spot. The editor of this website has made it his personal quest to make respectable his personal morning drug of a long black with honey. So far, only the Sydney suburbs of Glebe, Newtown and Alexandria have been receptive to his request. If he goes further out than that, the baristas feel assaulted by his idiosyncratic selection and they only assuage him on the rarest of occasions.
A Contemporary Secular Religion
To old friends, having coffee allows the space to revisit memories and rekindle fun times shared over the years. And yet there's so much more to this social trend of sitting around funky little cafes with pretty little people absorbing groovy inoffensive little background tunes (cafe music - what a scintillating genre) ...
For on Sunday mornings, instead of being bored stiff in churches, athiests and agnostics from Australia to Argentina prefer to engage in a non-commital form of confession.
In cafes everywhere, societal sinners can confess their "sins" of the week. A mild offence taken here, a raised eyebrow there. Coffee gets the mind going and the lips moving. Out comes the gossip and the soul is cleansed.
In pairs their mutual casual prayers invoke the Goddess Caffeina, cloaked in cappucchino foam she spreads a latte-light across the globe, healing friendships and guiding devotees to a caffeine-addicted nirvana where old mates can strip off their social baggage and dance naked in each other's minds, if only between 10am and midday on a Sunday morn.
“After all, coffee is bitter, a flavor from the forbidden and dangerous realm.” - Diane Ackerman.
As coffee can establish new relationships, it has also been known to sever others. In olden days Turkish laws allowed a woman to divorce her spouse should he fail to keep the coffee pot filled or in essence giving the wife her quota of coffee.
“It's the non-relationship drink of choice. It's not a date, it's a caffeinated beverage. Okay, sure, it's hot and bitter like a relationship that way, but ... like ..." - Buffy the Vampire Slayer/ Allison Hannigan as Willow.
To Drink, or not to Drink?
There's been talk though of coffee being bad for the health. Whether its reputation is deserved or not is still very much debatable. Most coffee drinkers would swear they don't even feel human until they've finished their third cup.
Coffee has been known to prevent drowsiness and depression - and can act as a temporary muscle relaxant and give provisional relief from arthritic pain. It cleans the system as it contains soluble fibres and acts as a mild laxative. Some studies show it is beneficial in slowing down certain types of cancer such as skin and breast cancer. It's a well known fact that coffee contains antioxidants that are good for the body, some say even the mist emanating from a hot cup has these antioxidants "the equivalent of which are found in oranges".
“Caffeine isn’t a drug, it’s a vitamin” - Author Unknown.
Long term consumption of coffee slows down dementia with more apparent long-term better memory manifested more on women than men. Although there is a tendency to lose certain bone minerals through the diuretic process that coffee drinking is known to amplify.
“Now you'll find out why Ms Sherwood shows up for breakfast, Tom. It's not love, it's my coffee machine.” - The Talented Mr Ripley - Dickie.
Claims have been made that mild to moderate caffeine consumption can increase sensual receptiveness and is more conspicuous on women than on men. It might be a good idea to trade that wine glass and beer bottle for a deliciously sultry coffee mug then, lads - at least on the morning after the night before.
“I think if I were a woman I’d wear coffee as perfume.” - John Van Druten.
Aside from having a very distinguishing and recognisable scent that one can almost taste, the lingering memory of how that hot liquid slowly goes down and spreads its ardor ... enveloping the body with its fierce heat ... is enough to make one find a more comfortable position to enjoy the most of its intensity. It’s like liquid Prozac only more accessible and works a trifle faster.
“Without my morning coffee I'm just like a dried up piece of roast goat. - Johann Sebastian Bach.
As with anything else, excessive intake of coffee can prove harmful if not fatal. Yet would take very conspicuous amounts for coffee to be unfavorable. After the body has had its quota of caffeine, it will just secrete out the extra caffeine you've taken in. Voltaire was reputed to have been consuming 50 or more cups of coffee a day. He certainly loved that swirling mist from his bitter and fiery cup of love.
“Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis - a good hot cup of coffee.” - Alexander King.
Coffee Stimulates Pure Genius
After all's said and done, most memories we have of a person enjoying his coffee is someone relaxed and dreaming big dreams or might be that one person having a leisurely time sipping the brew looking out the window to check everything is alright with the world. Or even better, a genius at work.
“The powers of a man's mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks.” - Sir James Mackintosh.
One wouldn’t at all mind being thought of as a genius, would one? Now, where’s my mug?
Claire Felices is a freelance writer & regular contributor to Sydneycafes.com.au ... if you're interested in Claire writing for you, contact her via claire@sydneycafes.com.au
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The Dark Express
How do I drink thee? Let me count the ways ...
BRYN TILLY savours the dark soul of that infamous bean ...
"Coffeepot give us peace,
Coffeepot let children grow,
let our wealth swell,
please protect us from evils,
give us rain and grass"
- Ethiopian Prayer
It has many guises - espresso, cappuccino, mochaccino, café latte, macchiato, ristretto, doppio, flat white, etc - that bitter sweet pleasure which is a way of life for so many of us. Yet coffee remains the most popular drug in the world, with 85% of Americans alone using significant amounts of caffeine on a daily basis.
It's the most sought after commodity after oil, which certainly says something about the power and influence of this dark-hued fluid. You may not drink coffee, but you can appreciate just how popular it is. Craving that morning espresso, you may not be so aware of its deep social influence. Sure, the active ingredient caffeine is found in other beverages, such as tea and soft drinks, but there's only one true pure form: coffee. Coffee has been a formidable force in history, and is probably one of the most addictive substances the world has ever known.
In recent years it has become a significant social lubricant. It's almost impossible not to be exposed to its aroma, the taste of it infiltrating everything from ice cream to nouveau cuisine. And caffeine is the only addictive psychoactive substance that is freely available almost everywhere, unregulated, sold without a licence, available in tablet and capsule form, linked to smart drinks, and added to soft drinks aimed at children.
Art of Darkness
In our coffee-driven urban society we take a lot for granted. And for the most part we are served well. Most cafes know how to make a reasonable coffee.
But there is an art to making an espresso and all its variations. Even that simple long black demands respect for the espresso machine, and attention to the packing of the ground coffee beans. Without that 'rats tail' spiralling into the demitasse, your coffee is going to be sub-standard. And in this hyper-demanding urban sophisticate social realm of tonic! tonic! tonic!, the perfect coffee is of the utmost importance.
One mustn't underestimate the disdain that spills forth from unhappy café customers who have been served a too milky latte or an under-frothed cappuccino. Call it coffee café contempt! Without the right brew an over-stressed executive or a disgruntled student may have his or her day fall apart around them. Simply because the coffee made has NOT hit the spot!
The 'Sauce' of Dissent
On the table in front of you it may appear innocuous, but coffee has been responsible for a lot of social upheaval. It was banned for years in Europe for causing the aristocrats and political yes-men much grief. Why exactly was it banned? Because of its ability to make people think. Challenge the status quo. Spark ideas of political revolt. And none of this was happening in the bars. In the bars they were getting drunk on absinthe and playing silly buggers, while in the coffee houses they were getting fired up, wired,plotting, scheming, ready for action!
A Repugnant History
The world's first coffee lovers were Oromos, a society who lived around 1500 to 3000 years ago in the African kingdom of Kefa. Kefa is perhaps the root of the word coffee, or maybe qahwa, which roughly translates as "to make something repugnant". Originally referring to wine, which made food repugnant, it was then applied to coffee, which made sleep repugnant.
The first mention of a coffee beverage suggests it was brewed from coffee leaves. Kati, or Kotea, is an Ethiopian concoction made of roasting coffee leaves. Amertassa is an earlier version made from freshly picked green leaves and then left to dry in the shade. These two are strong candidates for being the first cup of coffee.
The French, the Dutch and the Ethiopians each styled themselves as the heavies in making coffee the world's most popular drug. But it was the Turks who controlled the port of Mocha (coffee Mecca) during its heyday. And how's this for one of their proverbs:
"Coffee should be black as hell,
strong as death and sweet as love"
As for the beans with which we are more familiar in the western world, there are two basic kinds. The succulent Arabica from East Africa prefers higher elevation, while the fierce Robusta from Zaire grows pretty much everywhere. The social influence of coffee soon spread from the Middle East into Europe and beyond.
Coffee houses were established first in Mecca and Constantinople (1500 and earlier), then into England (Oxford and London 1555 and 1652), across the Channel (Amsterdam and Paris 'mid-1600s and later), to America (Boston and New York late 1600s) and eventually back into the heart of Europe (Berlin 1721).
But it wasn't long before the small cafes were stripped of their coffee-making facilities. Coffee was considered the devil's cup, more insidious than alcohol, and certainly more potent in its socially destructive powers. Which of course only put it in higher demand - just as "Prohibition" caused a surge in alcohol trade.
So is coffee really that dangerous?
Symptoms likely to occur after consumption in excess of 250 mg (2-3 cups): restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushed face, diuresis, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, rambling flow of thought and speech, cardiac arrhythmia, periods of inexhaustibility and psychomotor agitation.
For hardcore caffeine lovers, try a Turbo Coke - a shot of espresso in a tall glass over ice topped up with Coca-Cola. Now that's gotta get you goin'!
Things You Probably Didn't Know About Coffee:
- In an espresso (1.5 to 2 oz) there is 100 mg of caffeine. In an instant coffee there can be 50 to 130 mg, and in a drip or percolated coffee there is anything from 75 to 180 mg.
- Acute toxicity leading to death from coffee can occur at levels as low as 50 mg/kg, equivalent to 3.5 grams for a 60 kg person. That's about 35 straight cups of coffee.
- The famous writer and philosopher Voltaire used to consume 50 cups of coffee a day.
- A few years ago a twelve-step program was set up by a group called Caffeine Anonymous in Portland, Oregon, to help junkies kick the habit.
- Workers be warned. That fourth cup of coffee late in the day is not the pick-me-up you think it is. A study has found that drinking more than three-and-a-half cups of coffee a day hurts productivity levels and does not make people more aware - it causes concentration lapses and stress.
More Caffeine Crazed Info ...
- Coffee is the second largest commodity in world trade.
- The human body will absorb 300mg of caffeine. Additional amounts are excreted and provide no stimulation.
- Coffee is the most popular drink in the world at over 400 billion cups each year.
- Coffee drinkers have more frequent sex than non-coffee drinkers and enjoy it more.
- Swedish people drink more coffee than any other nation. Average 11 cups a day.
- On average, a coffee tree produces 1-2 lbs of coffee beans per year.
- 2.4 billion pounds of coffee are sold per year in the United States.
- One pound of coffee represents 4000 handpicked beans.
- The first Parisian cafe opened in 1689 to serve coffee.
- In the year 1763 there were over 200 coffee shops in Venice.
- Raw coffee beans, soaked in water and spices, are chewed like candy in parts of Africa.
- The Japanese have been known to bathe in coffee grounds fermented with pineapple pulp, for reducing wrinkles and improving their skin.
- Coffee sacks are usually made of hemp and it takes over 600,000 beans to fill a coffee sack.
Bryn Tilly is a writer, DJ and culture vulture. For more of his articles check out www.freshmag.com.au or email him via bryntilly@yahoo.com ... and for more info on coffee click here. For Sydney coffee suppliers click here.
The Best of Sydney Coffee
Mano Espresso Bar - Glebe is not All about Grunge
At Mano Espresso they serve Campos Coffee, specifically Campos Superior Blend, made by their qualified and highly skilled baristas. They also have a selection of T2 teas and Chai, as well as freshly squeezed juices. Mano Espresso have recently been awarded four beans in their review in The Coffee Guide Sydney 2009. Certainly in a very short time our experience is that they're already among the best espresso bars in Sydney. Their menu consists of a range of gourmet light meals - toasted pides, soups and their famous spanakopita, and their new addition - delicious steak sandwiches made fresh to order. They also have a range of friands, cakes and muffins to indulge your sweet tooth. For more info, browse their website and feel free to send them your feedback via their contact us page.
Incas Caffe - the best of Italy right here in Sydvegas
Incas Caffè is a boutique Italian coffee boasting all the qualities a good Italian coffee should have. Since being introduced into Australian cafes only a few years ago, it's fast becoming the brand of choice with coffee connoisseurs. The combination of a rich blend and strong aroma, guarantees a perfect coffee each time. Incas Caffè supply commercial coffee machines, grinders, accessories, POS and complete barista training. To discuss your needs or for more information, contact the office on (02) 9614 0040, email us via sales@incascaffe.com.au or visit us online at www.incascaffe.com.au
Numero Uno Coffee & Barista Training
100% Rainforest-Alliance certified coffee from Numero Uno is a combination of three things - coffee, people and passion. They are in business because they love it - and provide a complete experience that educates, inspires and empowers their customers - while offering superb blends such as their Aria Blend, their Il Vizio Blend and their intensely rich Picasso Blend. Numero Uno supply full barista training with any espresso machines including any domestic range of coffee equipment on-site or at their barista training studio. For more info call Sam or Gina on (02) 8399 0111, email them via sales@numerouno.com.au or check out their website: www.numerouno.com.au
