The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines coffee as: "a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant."
Goodhousekeeping.com states the following Coffee Facts (slightly edited):
- The drink dates to 800 A.D.
- A cup of black coffee only has one calorie.
- “Coffee” comes from the Arabic word for “wine.” Qahwah later became kahveh in Turkish and koffie in Dutch.
- Coffee beans are technically seeds, and you can eat coffee cherries as food.
- There are two main types: Arabica and Robusta.
- Brazil grows the most coffee in the world. Brazil produces about a third of the world’s supply, about twice as much as the second-place holder, Vietnam.
- Espresso means “pressed out” in Italian.
- The world’s most expensive coffee can cost more than R26 000 per kilogram.
- Multiple people have tried to ban coffee. Back in 1511, leaders in Mecca believed it stimulated radical thinking, but Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he baptized coffee in 1600.
- You can overdose on coffee. Don’t worry; you need to down about 30 cups to get close to a lethal dose of caffeine.
- Finland is home to the most prominent coffee lovers. According to the International Coffee Organization, the average adult Finn goes through 60.5 kilograms yearly.
- Coffee drinkers tend to live longer. Research has linked moderate consumption (about three to four cups per day) with a longer life span, plus a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Autus bought an excellent coffee machine a few years ago, which seems to be a worthy investment. We continued to purchase marvelous beans and serve all visitors coffee (mostly cappuccinos). I started drinking black coffee (and I don’t use sugar for many years now) and now experience the real taste of good coffee. I find it fascinating that over 80% of our staff drink black coffee with no sugar. It is also interesting how many compliments we receive on the coffee and cappuccinos we serve clients.
Enjoying gourmet coffee with someone helps you free your mind, ease your stress, and soak up positive vibes. The experience is more than just a cultural ritual – there are genuine emotional and psychological benefits to having coffee with someone. Think about the following:
- Many feel more relaxed when sipping a freshly made cup of java, and coffee can help to set a calm mood.
- Offering a coffee to someone shows that you have manners and are taking the person’s feelings and comfort into account.
- Coffee is a social drink made even more social by the rise in the coffee culture we see across the globe.
- A study has found that serving coffee before and during meetings can help increase productivity and unfold new and creative ideas.
- Caffeine can also help the brain focus by releasing positive endorphins into the body.
- Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world today, so serving it to your clients will ensure their satisfaction during any meeting they have with your company.
- You can have coffee any time of the day, anywhere you want to, for as long as you want, with anybody (worth it), and during any conversation.
- Friends bring happiness into your life. Best friends bring coffee.
- A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent.
But, enough of that about coffee; I must do and make my next cup to continue this conversation with myself. My stepfather always said he is talking to himself because it is good conversation and even better with a cup of coffee.
Thank you to all the people I had coffee with and will be having coffee with, and my sympathy if you don’t want to enjoy coffee with me.
Carpe diem, have fun, enjoy life, and drink good coffee
