Coffee is a popular beverage around the world. It can be served hot or cold. It is also available in a variety of flavours and strengths. You even get decaf varieties these days! Coffee has become so popular that we instantly recognise the smell of a fresh pot brewing or fresh ground beans. Apart from all of these well-known facts, there are also a number of interesting stories and legends related to this delicious drink.
According to Ethiopian legend, a goat herder stumbled up on coffee back in the 9th century. He figured out the effect of coffee when his goats consumed some of the beans and this had quite an unexpected effect on them.
New Yorkers are known to consume more coffee than residents in other parts of the USA. That said, it should be enjoyed with a certain degree of caution. Drinking excessive amounts of coffee an cause you to see things and, in extreme cases, it can cause death. Of course, we rarely even come close to drinking that much coffee all at once since a lethal dose is about 100 cups.
In the United States, Hawaii is the only State where coffee is commercially grown. Coffee beans are actually not beans at all. They are, in fact, the pits of berries. Therefore, they are fruit! The coffee industry is so significant and respected that being a Barista is considered a highly respectable job. It requires a fair amount of knowledge and skill. In the USA, the average Barista is in his or her 20s. However, in Italy, they are usually about 40-something!
As with many food and drink products these days, there once was concern regarding whether or not Catholics were allowed to drink coffee. This was back in the 1600s and, lucky for them, Pope Clement VIII gave them the go ahead.
While most of us think of coffee as a drink, there is a Japanese spa that actually lets you bathe in wine, tea, and even coffee! Of course, no matter how good it may smell, you probably don’t want to taste it!
So, now that you know a little bit more about one of the most popular drinks in the world, it’s time to share this newfound knowledge with your friends and family! The next time you serve coffee or enjoy a cup at a cafe with a friend, wow them with all these interesting facts!