Difference between revisions of "Coffee"

From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Citecheck|date=February 2007}}
 
 
[[Image:A small cup of coffee.JPG|thumbnail|right|A cup of coffee]]
 
[[Image:Coffee beans being sorted and pulped.jpg|thumb|right|Workers sorting and pulping coffee beans in [[Guatemala]]]]
 
 
'''Coffee''' is a widely consumed [[beverage]] prepared from the roasted [[coffee bean|seeds]] — commonly referred to as [[beans]] — of the [[Coffea|coffee plant]]. Though sometimes served cold, it is typically served hot. A typical 7 fluid ounce (ca. 207&nbsp;mL) cup of coffee contains 80–140 milligrams of [[caffeine]], depending on the bean and method of roasting and preparation.<ref><!--The web page didn't specify its creation date, so i used "last modification date" year in "cite web template" year -->{{cite web | url=http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/caffeine/caffeine_info1.shtml | title= Caffeine Content of Beverages, Foods, & Medications | author=Erowid | year= 2006 | accessdate=2006-10-16 }}</ref> Some people drink coffee "black" (plain), others sweeten their coffee or add [[milk]], [[cream]] or [[non-dairy creamer]]. Coffee represents 71% of all the caffeine consumption in the United States, followed by [[soft drinks]] and [[tea]].<ref>Traister, Rebecca. ''Glamour Magazine''. October 2006.</ref> Coffee, along with tea and [[water]], is one of the most popular beverages world-wide, its volume amounting to about a third of that of tap water in North America and Europe.<ref name=tap>{{cite journal | last = Villanueva1 | first = Cristina M. | coauthors = Cantor, Kenneth P.; King, Will D.; Jaakkola, Jouni J. K.; Cordier, Sylvaine; Lynch, Charles F.; Porru, Stefano; Kogevinas, Manolis | year = 2006 | title = Total and specific fluid consumption as determinants of bladder cancer risk | journal = International Journal of Cancer | volume = 118 | issue = 8 | pages = 2040–2047 | doi = 10.1002/ijc.21587 | accessdate = 2006-08-02}}</ref>  In 2003, coffee was the world's sixth largest agricultural export in value, behind [[wheat]], [[maize]], [[soybean]]s, [[palm oil]] and [[sugar]].<ref>{{cite web | title = FAOSTAT Agriculture Data  | publisher = United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization | url = http://faostat.fao.org/ | accessdate = 2005-10-31}}</ref>
 
 
==Etymology==
 
The English word "coffee" is believed to be derived ultimately from the Arabic word ''qahhwa'';<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/61/74/C0457400.html</ref> it is called ''būnn'' (ቡን) or ''būnnā'' (ቡና) in Ethiopia in [[Amharic language|Amharic]] and ''būnnī'' (ቡኒ) in [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], and other variations on the original ''būnn'' in other languages. Coffee's [[Arabic]] name, ''qahwa'' (قهوة), is a truncation of ''qahwat al-būnn'', or ''wine of the bean''. Traditional [[Islam]] prohibited the use of alcohol as a beverage, and coffee proved to be a suitable alternative.
 
 
The Arabic ''qahhwa'' was borrowed by [[Ottoman Turkish language|Ottoman Turkish]] as ''kahve'', which in turn was borrowed into [[Italian language|Italian]] as ''caffè'' with [[French language|French]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as ''café''.<ref>[http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/Coffee "Definition of Coffee"] in ''Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary''</ref> Early forms date back to the last decade of the 16th century, but the word "coffee" itself did not come into use until the early to mid 1600s<ref>[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50043279?query_type=word&queryword=coffee&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id=G0C1-u4sQqW-24389&result_place=1 Coffee:Oxford English Dictionary] in ''The Oxford English Dictionary Online''</ref>
 
 
==History==
 
{{main|History of coffee}}
 
[[Image:Leipzig coffeebaum 815.jpg|thumb|right|Over the door of a [[Leipzig]], [[Germany]] [[coffeeshop]] is a sculptural [[representation]] of a man in Turkish dress receiving a cup of coffee from a boy]]
 
The history of coffee can be traced to at least as early as the 9th century, when it appeared in the [[Ethiopian Highlands|highlands of Ethiopia]], from which it spread to [[Egypt]] and [[Yemen]],<ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Coffea%20arabica.pdf#search=%22%22Coffea%20
 
Arabica%22%20native%22 John K. Francis ''Coffea arabica L. RUBIACEAE'' Factsheet of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service]</ref> and by the fifteenth century had reached [[Persia]], [[Egypt]], [[Turkey]], and northern Africa.
 
 
From the [[Muslim]] world, coffee spread to Europe, and became popular there during the seventeenth century. The Dutch were the first to import it large-scale into Europe, and eventually smuggled in some seedlings in [[1690]], defying the Arab prohibition on exporting the plants or unroasted seeds. The Dutch later grew the crop in their colony of Java.<ref name="plant" /> In 1538, [[Leonhard Rauwolf]], a German physician, after returning from a ten-year trip to the [[Near East]], gave this description of coffee:<ref>{{cite book | author=Léonard Rauwolf | title=Reise in die Morgenländer |language= German}}</ref><!--inadequate reference.-->{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
 
{{cquote|A beverage as black as ink, useful against numerous [[illnesses]], particularly those of the stomach. Its consumers take it in the morning, quite frankly, in a porcelain cup that is passed around and from which each one drinks a cupful. It is composed of water and the fruit from a bush called bunnu.}}
 
 
When coffee reached the American colonies, it was initially not as successful as it had been in Europe, as colonists found it a [[poor]] substitute for [[alcohol]]. However, during the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], the demand for coffee increased so much that dealers had to hoard their scarce supplies and raise prices dramatically; this was partly owing to the reduced availability of tea from [[Great Britain|British]] merchants. After the [[War of 1812]], in which Britain had temporarily cut off access to [[tea]] imports, the Americans' taste for coffee grew during the early nineteenth century, and high demand during the [[American Civil War]] together with the advancements of brewing technology secured the position of coffee as an everyday commodity in the United States.  Today coffee is a common beverage of the North American [[breakfast#North America|breakfast]] and morning [[commuting|commute]].
 
 
==The plant==
 
 
===Coffee seed types===
 
===Coffee seed types===
{{main|Coffee varietals}}
 
 
[[Image:Coffee Flowers Show.jpg|thumb|left|''[[Coffea arabica]]''&mdash;[[Brazil]]]]
 
[[Image:Coffee Flowers Show.jpg|thumb|left|''[[Coffea arabica]]''&mdash;[[Brazil]]]]
 
[[Image:Coffee berries fresh.jpg|thumb|Freshly harvested berries of ''Coffea robusta'']]
 
[[Image:Coffee berries fresh.jpg|thumb|Freshly harvested berries of ''Coffea robusta'']]
Line 36: Line 11:
  
 
A [[peaberry]], (also sometimes called a "Caracoli"{{Fact|date=February 2007}} bean) is a coffee bean that develops singly inside the coffee cherry instead of the usual pair of beans. This situation occurs 5–10% of the time. Since flavour is concentrated when only a single bean is grown inside the cherry, these beans (especially Arabica) are highly prized.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://aco.ca/peaberry_coffee | title=Feature Article: Peaberry Coffee | accessdate=2006-11-10 }}</ref>
 
A [[peaberry]], (also sometimes called a "Caracoli"{{Fact|date=February 2007}} bean) is a coffee bean that develops singly inside the coffee cherry instead of the usual pair of beans. This situation occurs 5–10% of the time. Since flavour is concentrated when only a single bean is grown inside the cherry, these beans (especially Arabica) are highly prized.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://aco.ca/peaberry_coffee | title=Feature Article: Peaberry Coffee | accessdate=2006-11-10 }}</ref>
 
==The drink==
 
===Processing and roasting===
 
{{Unreferencedsect|date=November 2006}}
 
[[Image:Espresso-roasted coffee beans.jpg|thumb|Roasted coffee beans]]
 
{{main|Coffee processing|Coffee roasting}}
 
Much processing and human labour is required before coffee berries and its seed can be processed into the roasted coffee with which most Western consumers are familiar. Coffee berries must be picked, defruited, dried, sorted, and &mdash; in some processes &mdash; also aged.
 
 
Coffee is usually sold in a roasted state, and the roasting [[process]] has a considerable degree of influence on the taste of the final product. All coffee is roasted before being consumed. When coffee beans are roasted, they turn much darker because their sucrose [[caramelization|caramelizes]]. Coffee can be sold [[Coffee roasting|roasted]] by the supplier; alternatively it can be [[Home roasting coffee|home roasted]].
 
 
Coffee roasting is a complicated chemical pro
 
cess that creates the distinctive flavor of coffee from a bland bean. Unroasted beans contain all of coffee’s acids, protein, and caffeine — but none of its taste. It takes heat to spark the chemical reactions that turn carbohydrates and fats into [[fragrance oil|aromatic oils]], burn off moisture and carbon dioxide, and alternately break down and build up acids, unlocking the characteristic coffee [[flavor]]. One of these aromatic oils is [[caffeol]], which is largely responsible for coffee's aroma and flavor.<ref name="plant">Dobelis, Inge N., Ed.: Magic and Medicine of Plants. Pleasantville: The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., 1986. Pages 370-371.</ref>
 
 
Decaffeination is often done by processing companies, and the extracted caffeine is sold to the pharmaceutical industry.<ref name="plant" />
 
 
===Preparation===
 
[[Image:linea doubleespresso.jpg|thumb|Espresso brewing]]
 
{{main|Coffee preparation}}
 
The processing of coffee typically designates the agricultural and industrial processes needed to deliver whole roasted coffee beans to the consumer. Grinding the roasted coffee beans is done at a roastery, in a grocery store, or at home. It is most commonly ground at the roastery and sold to the consumer ground and packaged, though "whole-bean" coffee that is ground at home is becoming more popular, despite the extra effort required. A grind is referred to by its brewing method. "Turkish" grind, the finest, is meant for mixing straight with water, while the coarsest grinds, such as [[coffee percolator]] or [[French press]], are at the other extreme. Midway between the extremes are the most common: "drip" and "paper filter" grinds, which are used in the most common home coffee brewing machines. The "drip" machines operate with near-boiling water passed in a slow stream through the ground coffee in a filter. The [[espresso]] method uses more advanced technology to force very hot (not boiling) water, through the ground coffee, resulting in a stronger flavor and chemical changes with more coffee bean matter in the drink. Once brewed, it may be presented in a variety of ways: on its own, with sugar, with milk or cream, hot or cold, and so on. Roasted arabica beans are also eaten plain and covered with chocolate. See the article on [[coffee preparation]] for a comprehensive list.
 
 
A number of products are sold for the convenience of consumers who do not want to prepare their own coffee . [[Instant coffee]] has been dried into soluble powder or freeze dried into granules, which can be quickly dissolved in hot water for consumption. Canned coffee is a beverage that has been popular in Asian countries for many years, particularly in [[Japan]] and South Korea. [[Vending machine]]s typically sell a number of varieties of canned coffee, available both hot and cold. To match the often busy life of Korean city dwellers, companies mostly have canned coffee with a wide variety of tastes. Japanese convenience stores and groceries also have a wide availability of plastic-bottled coffee drinks, which are typically lightly sweetened and pre-blended with milk. Lastly, liquid coffee concentrate is sometimes used in large institutional situations where coffee needs to be produced for thousands of people at the same time. It is described as having a flavor about as good as low-grade ''robusta'' coffee, and costs about 10 cents a cup to produce. The machines used to process it can handle up to 500 cups an hour, or 1,000 if the water is preheated.<ref>Regarding liquid coffee concentrate: Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2005, page C4, ''Commodities Report''</ref>
 
 
===Caffeine content===
 
Depending on the type of coffee and method of preparation the caffeine content of a cup of coffee can vary greatly. However, on average the following amounts of caffeine can be expected in a single serving. A serving is 7&nbsp;fluid ounces (about 207&nbsp;milliliters) except for espresso.<ref> Coffee and Caffeine's Frequently Asked Questions from the alt.drugs.caffeine, alt.coffee, rec.food.drink.coffee Newsgroups, January 7, 1998 </ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Bunk
 
er |first=M. L. |coauthors=McWilliams, M. |year=1979 |month=January |journal=J. Am. Diet. Assoc. |volume=74 |pages=28-32|title=Caffeine content of common beverages }}</ref>
 
 
*drip coffee: 115–175&nbsp;mg
 
*espresso: 100&nbsp;mg (serving size: one shot, 1.5–2&nbsp;oz)
 
*brewed: 80–135&nbsp;mg
 
*instant: 65–100&nbsp;mg
 
*decaf, brewed: 3–4&nbsp;mg
 
*decaf, instant: 2–3&nbsp;mg
 
 
===Tasting===
 
{{main|Coffee cupping}}
 
Coffee tasting, also known as coffee cupping, is the practice of experiencing the tastes and aromas of brewed coffee. Although it is a professional practice, it can be done by anyone. The taster deeply sniffs the coffee, and then loudly slurps it so that it spreads to the back of the tongue. Then he attempts to measure aspects of the coffee's taste, specifically the ''body'' (the texture or [[mouthfeel]], such as [[oil]]iness), ''[[acid]]ity'' (a sharp and tangy feeling, like when biting into an [[Orange (fruit)|orange]]), and ''balance'' (the harmony of flavours working together). Since [[coffee bean]]s embody telltale flavours of the region in which they were grown, tasters may attempt to determine the coffee's origin.
 
 
===Coffee with food===
 
Coffee is generally served alongside an informal meal or as a part of [[breakfast]]. In a more formal setting, such as a restaurant, coffee usually is offered during the [[dessert]] course, after the main course.
 
 
Coffee is sometimes served as a refreshment between meals, often accompanied with a selection of cold, sweet foods. Popular choices include [[pastry|pastries]], [[shortbread]], [[cookie]]s, [[muffin]]s, and, in [[North America]], [[coffee cake]] (so-named because it often accompanies coffee, not because it contains coffee).
 
 
==Coffee and society==
 
===Coffee as a stimulant===
 
:''See also: [[Caffeine]] for more information on the stimulant.''
 
Coffee contains caffeine, a mild stimulant. Drinking coffee results in an increase of the heart rate of the drinker, increased blood flow to the muscles, and an increase in blood pressure and it causes a decrease in blood flow to the skin and to the inner organs. Most importantly for many drinkers, the level of [[dopamine]] in the brain increases.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Fisone G | first = G | coauthors = Borgkvist A, Usiello A | title = Caffeine as a psychomotor stimulant: mechanism of action | journal = Cell Mol Life Sci | volume = 61 | issue = 7-8 | pages = 857-72 | date = 2004 Apr | id = PMID 15095008 | url = http://www.springerlink.com/content/605nwu366ay2c6xt/ }}</ref>
 
 
Coffee is often consumed because of its stimulating properties, as an aid to beginning one's day by reducing the aftereffects of sleep or as a way to ward off fatigue in general.
 
 
In 2004 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed caffeine from the list of proscribed substances for sports participants. This was because research had shown that greatest caffeine-related performance increases were available from small doses from normal, "social" levels of coffee-drinking. The previous level at which an athlete failed a drugs test for caffeine equated to a consumption of approximately eight cups of strong coffee.<ref>[http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2005/Massey_News/issue-10/stories/07-10-05.html masseynews.massey.ac.nz]</ref>
 
 
===Social aspects of coffee===
 
[[Image:Syria.Damascus.CoffeeHouse.01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Coffeehouse]] in [[Damascus]]]]
 
:''See also: [[Coffeehouse]] for a social history of coffee, and [[caffè]] for specifically Italian traditions.''
 
{{main|Social aspects of coffee}}
 
Coffee plays an important role in many societies throughout the world today. From the coffeehouses of the 16th century to modern day cafés, coffee has had a profound effect on the lifestyles of people from all walks of life. When it first appeared in Africa and Yemen, it was commonly used as a type of religious intoxicant. This usage in religious rites among the Sufi branch of Islam led to it being put on trial in Mecca for being a "heretic" substance much as wine was. It was briefly repressed, and was later part of a larger ban in Ottoman Turkey under an edict that led to
 
the death of thousands of people.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2006/03/24/food_stories_the_sultan_s_coffee_prohibi | title=Food Stories: The Sultan's Coffee Prohibition | last=Hopkins  | first=Kate | date=2006-03-24 | accessdate=2006-09-12}}</ref> Its early association in Europe with rebellious political activities led to its banning in England, among other places.<ref>Allen, Stewart. "The Devil's Cup".</ref>
 
 
In [[India]] the [[Indian Coffee House, Kerala|Indian Coffee House]]s became an icon of the worker's struggle. This restaurant chain is now owned by the workers of ICHs, as a result of the struggle performed by the thrown-out workers from the Coffee Houses of [[Coffee Board]]. This struggle was led by famed Communist leader of India [[A. K. Gopalan]]. The ICHs became the meeting places of leftists in India later.
 
 
In [[Nordic countries]], coffee parties are a popular, informal kind of home entertainment. In [[Sweden|Swedish]] culture, coffee plays an extremely important role as a social lubricant through a process known as ''[[fika]]'', or a leisurely coffee break — perhaps even more so than in other coffee-drinking cultures.<ref>[http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/Article____14133.aspx#2]. "Coffee, the Swedish Way"</ref>
 
 
===Health and pharmacology of coffee===
 
{{main|Coffee and health}}
 
Many studies have been performed on the relationship between coffee consumption and many medical conditions, ranging from [[diabetes mellitus|diabetes]] and [[cardiovascular disease]] to [[cancer]] and [[cirrhosis]]. Studies are contradictory as to whether coffee has any specific health benefits, and results are similarly conflicting with respect to negative effects of coffee consumption.<ref>Kummer, Corby (2003). ''The Joy of Coffee'', pp 160–165.</ref> While some health effects are those of the [[caffeine]], others appear to be due to other components of the coffee.
 
 
One fairly consistent finding has been the reduction of [[diabetes mellitus type 2]] in coffee consumers, an association that cannot be explained by the caffeine content alone and indeed may be stronger in decaffeinated coffee.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Pereira MA|coauthors=Parker ED, Folsom AR.|title=Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.|journal=Arch Intern Med| year=2006|volume=166|issue=12|pages=1311–1316|id=PMID 16801515}}</ref>
 
 
Recently, coffee was found to reduce the chances of developing [[cirrhosis]] of the liver: the consumption of 1 cup a day was found to reduce the chances by 20%, and 4 cups a day reduced the chances by 80%.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Klatsky |first=Arthur L. |coauthors=Morton, Cynthia, Udaltsova, Natalia, Friedman, Gary D. |date=12 June 2006 |title=Coffee, Cirrhosis, and Transaminase Enzymes |journal=Archives of Internal Medicine |volume=166 |issue=11 |pages=1190–1195 |doi=10.1001/archinte.166.11.1190 }}</ref>
 
 
There exists research to suggest that drinking coffee can cause a temporary increase in the stiffening of arterial walls.<ref>http://hyper.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/38/2/227</ref>
 
 
===Economics of coffee===
 
[[Image:Coffee_consumption_map-en.svg|thumb|Worldwide coffee consumption per capita and year.]]
 
[[Image:Chennai filter coffee shop.jpg|thumb|Coffee being ground at a coffee shop in [[Chennai]], India]]
 
{{main|Economics of coffee}}
 
Coffee is one of the world's most important primary [[commodities]] due to being one of the world's most popular beverages. In total, 6.7 million tonnes of coffee were produced annually in 1998–2000, and the forecast is a rise to 7 million tonnes annually by 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y5143e/y5143e0v.htm | title= Coffee | author=FAO| work= Medium-term prospects for agricultural commodities. Projections to the year 2010 | year= 2003 | accessdate=2006-10-16 | quote= Global output is expected to reach 7.0 million tonnes (117 million bags) by 2010 compared to 6.7 million tonnes (111 million bags) in 1998–2000 }}</ref> Coffee also has several types
 
of classifications used to determine environmental and labor stan
 
dards.
 
 
[[Image:DirkvdM orosi coffee-trees.jpg|thumb|right|Shade-trees in [[Orosí]], Costa Rica. After the harvest, they are pruned]]
 
[[Brazil]] remains the largest coffee exporting nation, but in recent years the green coffee market has been flooded by large quantities of ''robusta'' beans from [[Vietnam]].<ref>[http://www.ineedcoffee.com/02/04/vietnam/ "Vietnam has played a major role in the increase of global coffee supply", "Nearly all coffee grown in Vietnam is of the Robusta variety"]</ref> Many experts believe the giant influx of cheap green coffee after the collapse of the International Coffee Agreement of 1975–1989 with Cold War pressures led to the prolonged pricing crisis from 2001 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://your-coffees.co.uk/amsterdamcoffeeshop | title=amsterdam coffee shop, amsterdam coffee shop information | accessdate=2006-08-26}}</ref> In 1997 the "c" price of coffee in New York broke [[United States dollar|US$]]3.00/[[pound (mass)|lb]], but by late 2001 it had fallen to US$0.43/lb.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Robusta coffees (traded in London at much lower prices than New York's Arabica) are preferred by large industrial clients (multinational roasters, instant coffee producers, etc.) because of their lower cost.
 
 
The farmers in many parts of the [[Third World]] responded to the price crash by forming [[Cooperative|co-ops]] to bargain on the world market. This was responsible for major coffee companies agreeing to pay 3-4 times the price of coffee that they were paying the individual farmers.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F538DC12-695A-4CA3-BD5F-7801266358F0.htm | title=Al Jazeera | accessdate=2007-01-25}}</ref>
 
 
The preference of the "Big Four" coffee companies for cheap ''robusta'' is believed by many to have been a major contributing factor to the crash in coffee prices,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.coffeegeek.com/opinions/markprince/11-27-2002 | title=CoffeeGeek - So You Say There's a Coffee Crisis | accessdate=2006-08-26}}</ref> and the demand for high-quality ''arabica'' beans is only slowly recovering. After the crash, many coffee farmers in Africa, Indonesia and South and Central America lost their livelihoods, or turned to illicit crops such as [[coca]] to earn a living. The [[Netherlands|Dutch]] brand '[[Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International|Max Havelaar]]' started the concept of [[fair trade]] labeling, which attempted to remedy the situation by guaranteeing coffee growers a negotiated pre-harvest price.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/coffee | title=Fair Trade Coffee | accessdate=2006-08-26}}</ref> Another issue with coffee is ecological: the [[American Birding Association]] has led a campaign for sustainably harvested, shade-grown and organic coffees vs. the newer mono-cropped full-sun varieties, which lead to deforestation and loss of bird habitat.<ref> http://www.thanksgivingcoffee.com/justcup/songbird/whatisit.lasso</ref>
 
 
Coffee ingestion on average is about a third that of tap water in most of North America and Europe.<ref name=tap /> The United States consumes around six billion gallons of coffee a year.<ref>[http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk4NSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzEwMjQ0MyZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTU= northjersey.com]</ref> In 2002 in the U.S., average coffee consumption was 22.1 gallons per person.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FNP/is_19_42/ai_109025996 | title=Bottled water pours past competition - Brief Article DSN Retailing Today - Find Articles | accessdate=2006-07-23}}</ref>
 
 
==Other uses==
 
===Coffee in comedy===
 
The stimulating effect of coffee is often joked about. For example, someone may be shown to be unable to function properly until he has his first cup of coffee, with his entire demeanor changing after just one sip.
 
* In an episode of [[Futurama]], the character Fry attempts to drink 100 cups of coffee; he is shown in greater stages of stimulus, shivering and speaking rapidly. When he drinks his 100th coffe
 
e, he finds himself moving at an incredible rate, with others appearing to be moving in slow-motion comparatively.
 
 
===Coffee in art===
 
* [[Latte art]] involves designs in the foam of espresso-based drinks.
 
* [[Arfé]] is the use of coffee as a coloring for painting or other visual effects.
 
* [[J. S. Bach]] composed the humorous [[Coffee Cantata]], about a father annoyed at his daughter's coffee addiction.
 
 
===Coffee in heraldry===
 
The branches<ref>[http://www.cundinamarca.gov.co/cundinamarca/municipios/frm_municipios.asp?opcion=detalle_seccion&codseccion=782&codigo=97 cundinamarca.gov.co]</ref> and beans<ref>[http://bluesunset.skyblog.com/6.html bluesunset.skyblog.com]</ref> of the "coffee tree" have appeared as heraldic charges.
 
 
===Composting===
 
Spent coffee grounds are used as [[fertilizer]] in gardens for their acidity and high [[nitrogen]] content.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gardeners.com/Coffee-Grounds-in-Compost-Bin/default/coffeelp.page | title=Gardner's Tips: Composting with Coffee | author=Kathy LaLiberte | publisher=Gardner's Supply Company| accessdate=2007-04-18 }}</ref> Some coffee companies and coffee shops, including [[Starbucks]], give their used coffee grounds to gardeners for this purpose.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/compost.asp | title=Composting with Coffee Grounds - Page on official Starbucks website describing their composting efforts | accessdate=2007-01-08}}</ref>
 
 
===Religions===
 
In ancient times, coffee was initially used for spiritual reasons.  At least 1,000 years ago, traders brought coffee across the [[Red Sea]] into Arabia (modern-day Yemen), where Muslim monks began cultivating the shrubs in their gardens. At first, the Arabians made wine from the pulp of the fermented coffee berries. Thus coffee became known as "Qahwah," which is the Arabic word for wine, from which the modern word coffee derives. This beverage was known as "Qishr" ("Kisher" in modern usage) and was used during religious ceremonies. Coffee became the substitute beverage in spiritual practice in place of wine where wine was forbidden.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Coffee |url=http://www.jamesoncoffee.com/History.php || publisher=Jameson Coffee}}</ref>
 
 
An example of coffee prohibition can be found in [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Latter-day Saints]] or [[Mormons]]), being the only major religion in the world (about 12.5 million followers world-wide) that defines a doctrine of complete coffee abstinence. The Church of Latter-Day Saints claims that it is unhealthy to consume coffee, both physically and spiritually.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} The Mormon doctrine of health given February 27, 1833 does not specifically identify [[caffeine]] as the reason for avoiding hot drinks, nor does it identify coffee by name, but was introduced by Mormon founder [[Joseph Smith]], in a revelation called the [[Word of Wisdom]], which includes the statement that "hot drinks are not for the belly." (''[[Doctrine & Covenants]]'' Section 89). This was later interpreted to mean coffee or [[tea]].
 
 
==Documentary films about coffee==
 
*''[[Coffee is the Gold of the Future (film)|Coffee is the Gold of the Future]]'' (1986)
 
*''[[Black Harvest (film)|Black Harvest]]'' (1992)
 
*''[[Victims of Cheap Coffee (film)|Victims of Cheap Coffee]]'' (2003)
 
*''[[Black Coffee (film)|Black Coffee]]'' (2005)
 
*''[[Black Gold (film)|Black Gold]]'' (2006)
 
*''[[One Cup (film)|One Cup]]'' (2006)
 
 
==Notes==
 
{{reflist|2}}
 
 
==References==
 
* Allen, Stewart Lee. ''The Devil's Cup.'' Random House. ISBN 978-0345441492
 
* Chambers, Robert (1869). [[Chambers' Book of Days]] for [http://www.thebookofdays.com/months/jan/27.htm January 27], retrieved February 21, 2006.
 
* Erowid (2006) [http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/caffeine/caffeine_info1.shtml Caffeine Content of Beverages, Foods, & Medications] retrieved October 16, 2002.
 
* Francis, John K. [http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Coffea%20arabica.pdf#search=%22%22Coffea%20Arabica%22%20native%22 ''Coffea arabica L. RUBIACEAE''] Factsheet of U.S. Department of Agriculture,Forest Service
 
* Hanauer, J.E. (1907). ''Folk-lore of the Holy Land.''
 
* Jacob, Heinrich Eduard: ''Coffee. The Epic of a Commodity''. Short Hills: Burford Books, 1998. ISBN 1-58080-070-X. (Introduction: Lynn Alley).
 
* Kushner, Marina. ''The Truth About Caffeine.'' SCR Books. ISBN 978-0974758244
 
* Mai, Marina. "[http://www.jungle-world.com/seiten/2006/01/6925.php Boom für die Bohnen"]in ''Jungle World'' Nr. 1, 2006/January 4, 2006. ISSN 1613-0766. {{de icon}}
 
* Pendergrast, Mark. ''Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World'', Basic Books, 1999. ISBN 0-465-05467-6
 
* Rauwolf, Léonard. ''Reise in die Morgenlander.'' {{de icon}}
 
* Traister, Rebecca. ''Glamour Magazine''. October 2006.
 
* United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.  [http://faostat.fao.org/ FAOSTAT Agriculture Data] Accessed October 31, 2005.
 
* Villanueva1, et al. (2006) Total and specific fluid consumption as determinants of bladder cancer risk. ''International Journal of Cancer'' 118(8):2040–2047
 
 
==External links==
 
{{commons|Coffee}}
 
{{wikiquote}}
 
{{cookbook}}
 
 
* [http://www.coffeehabitat.com Coffee & Conservation] - Many resources on sustainable coffee, including reviews, especially shade coffee and biodiversity
 
* [http://www.cosic.org Coffee and caffeine health information] A collection of peer reviewed & journal published studies on coffee health benefits is evaluated, cited & summarized.
 
* Benjamin Joffe-Walt and Oliver Burkeman, ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[16 September]] 2005, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,2763,1571608,00.html "Coffee trail"] - from Ethiopian village of Choche to London coffee shop
 
 
{{Coffee}}
 
[[Category:Coffee|*]]
 
[[Category:Arabic words and phrases]]
 
[[Category:Coffeeshops]]
 
[[Category:Crops]]
 
 
{{Link FA|es}}
 
{{Link FA|fr}}
 
{{Link FA|no}}
 
{{Link FA|th}}
 
{{Link FA|vi}}
 

Latest revision as of 13:43, 23 November 2011

Coffee seed types

Freshly harvested berries of Coffea robusta
Dried berries of Coffea robusta

There are two main species of the coffee plant, the older one being Coffea arabica. Coffee is thought to be indigenous to south-western Ethiopia, specifically from Kaffa, from which it may have acquired its name.[1] While more susceptible to disease, it is considered by most to taste better than the second species, Coffea canephora (robusta). Robusta, which contains about 40–50% more caffeine, can be cultivated in environments where arabica will not thrive and probably originated in Uganda.[1] For this reason it is used as an inexpensive substitute for arabica in many commercial coffee blends. Compared to arabica, robusta tends to be bitter and has little flavor, with a telltale "burnt rubber" or "wet cardboard" aroma and flavor. Good quality robustas are used in some espresso blends to provide a better "crema" (foamy head), and to lower the ingredient cost. In Italy, many espresso blends are based on dark-roasted robusta. The large industrial roasters use a steam treatment process to remove undesirable flavors from robusta beans for use in mass-marketed coffee blends.[2] Other species include Coffea liberica an d Coffea esliaca, believed to be indigenous to Liberia and southern Sudan respectively.[1]

Arabica coffees were traditionally named by the port from which they were exported, the two oldest being Mocha, from Yemen, and Java, from Indonesia. The modern coffee trade is much more specific about origin, labeling coffees by country, region, and sometimes even the producing estate. Varietal[3] is a botanical term denoting a taxonomic category ranking below species, a designation more specific than arabica or robusta and unrelated to the coffee's place of origin. Coffees consisting entirely of beans from a single varietal, bourbon, for example, are generally so referred to, with a reference to their place of origin (as in: Rwanda Blue Bourbon). Coffee aficionados may even distinguish auctioned coffees by lot number.[4]

Most arabica coffee beans originate from one of three growing regions; Latin America, East Africa/Arabia and Asia/Pacific. Beans from different countries or regions usually have distinctive characteristics such as flavour (flavour criteria include terms such as "citrus-like" or "earthy"), aroma (sometimes "berry-like" or "flowery"), body or mouthfeel, and acidity. Acidity refers to a tangy or clean-tasting quality, typically present in washed or wet processed coffees. It does not refer to a coffee's pH level. (Black coffee has a pH of around 5).[5] These distinguishing taste characteristics are dependent not only on the coffee's growing region, but also on its method of process and genetic subspecies or varietal.[6][7]

A peaberry, (also sometimes called a "Caracoli"Template:Fact bean) is a coffee bean that develops singly inside the coffee cherry instead of the usual pair of beans. This situation occurs 5–10% of the time. Since flavour is concentrated when only a single bean is grown inside the cherry, these beans (especially Arabica) are highly prized.[8]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mekete Belachew, "Coffee," in von Uhlig, Siegbert, ed., Encyclopaedia Aethiopica (Weissbaden: Horrowitz, 2003), p.763.
  2. "Process for improving the quality of Robusta coffee - US Patent 5019413". Retrieved on 2006-08-26.
  3. Dictionary Version 1.0.1 (1.0.1) Copyright © 2005 Apple Computer, Inc.
  4. "Sweet Maria's Coffee Cupping Reviews: The Coffees of Ethiopia". Sweet Maria's Coffee, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-04-17. "Ethiopian coffees can vary greatly from lot to lot. It takes A LOT of cupping to find the specific lot of coffee that is superior. MAO Horse imports a lot of coffee, but each year one specific "chop" (lot number) out-cups the others. Since lots differ in character, and I do so much to find the best lot, we are now listing the Lot Number in the description of the coffee."
  5. "pH Scale: Some Common Solutions - Chart - MSN Encarta". Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
  6. The Perfect Cup, by Timothy James Castle
  7. Coffee: A Guide to Buying Brewing and Enjoying, 5th Edition, by Kenneth Davids
  8. "Feature Article: Peaberry Coffee". Retrieved on 2006-11-10.