History of Coffee: Part II - Spread of Coffee to Europe

It was not until 1615, that Europe was formally introduced to coffee. Venetian traders, who had strong trade links with the Levant (historical term referring to a large area of the Middle East incorporating the countries of: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria), started to import coffee into Italy. Once in Europe, the consumption of coffee soon spread. However, the introduction of coffee into Europe was not without its controversy. According to many accounts, a group of Christian clerics tried to have coffee banned before it had become widely available. They came to Pope Clement VIII (1535-1605), claiming that coffee was for Satan's followers, and that Christians who drank it might lose their souls to the Devil. But before Pope Clement would ban coffee he insisted on tasting it. After drinking his first cup, the Pope was so impressed with the flavour, that he reasoned that such a drink could not possibly be the work of Satan and instead declared that coffee should be baptized to make it a true Christian drink.

The first person recorded in history to brew coffee in England was an international student named Nathaniel Conopios from Crete, who was studying at Balliol College, Oxford. This simple act, which happened in May 1637, was recorded by both; scholar John Evelyn and historian Anthony Wood. Although, shortly afterwards Conopios was expelled from college, his influence had a lasting effect on Oxford, as it was in Oxford that the first English coffeehouse was opened in 1650 by Jacob, a Lebanese Jew. Even though Jacob moved to London a few years later to repeat his success, he had begun a trend that saw many more coffeehouses open in Oxford during that decade.

The most significant of these coffeehouses, was the one open by Arthur Tillyard in 1655. Tillyard's coffeehouse became a meeting point for a group who were known as the Oxford Coffee Club. This group was made up of Oxford's leading scientists, including Sir Robert Boyle, and their students, who would meet to discuss their theories and research and share ideas. It is from the Oxford Coffee Club which the world famous Royal Society, one of the leading scientific societies in the world, evolved from.

The first coffeehouse in London was opened in 1652 by an Armenian man named Pasqua Rosée. Originally brought to London as a servant by the merchant Daniel Edwards, Rosée served coffee each morning to Edwards' house guests. Curiosity about the new drink soon spread through Edwards' friends, and the number of visitors to Edwards' house steadily grew over time. There was so much excitement created by Rosée's brew that Edwards eventually decided to financially back Rosée in opening a coffeehouse at St Michael's Alley in Cornhill. As with Oxford, the idea soon took off, and by 1715 there were as many as 2,000 coffeehouses around London.

One of the world's largest insurance companies, Lloyds of London, started as a coffeehouse on Tower Street in 1688. Opened by Edward Lloyd, it primarily served seafarers and merchants. Lloyd would circulate amongst his customers creating a list of what ships were carrying, their schedules, and their insurance needs. This list drew underwriters to his coffeehouse to sell insurance to those who needed it and merchants so they could keep track of the ships.

It is thought that the custom of tipping originated in English coffeehouses. There would often be a small box hung near the counter in establishments with the words "To Insure Promptness" (TIP) inscribed on them. Customers would drop a coin in the box to encourage swift service.

The early growth of coffeehouses was largely due to support by doctors, promoting coffee for its supposed healing abilities. Before the introduction of coffeehouses, there was a widespread problem with public drunkenness as beer was consumed with almost every meal. But with public knowledge of the health benefits of coffee, and with coffee being significantly cheaper then beer, coffeehouses began to replace the tavern as the meeting place of choice. Needless to say, tavern owners were not going to let their profits dwindle without a fight, and many of the most aggressive attacks against coffee came from them. They claimed that coffee was an Arabic drink not suitable for well-mannered Christian men, unlike beer which had been brewed by Monks' for centuries.

Tavern owners were not the only group to attack coffee. Women upset that their man would spent more time at the coffeehouse then at home with them, soon started to protest. In 1674, the ‘Women's Petition against Coffee' was published. In this document women protested that coffee reduced the male sperm count and would lead to a decline in the population: "coffee makes a man as barren as the dessert out of which this unlucky berry has been imported; that since its coming the offspring of our mighty forefathers are on the way to disappear as if they were monkeys and swine." It was understandable that women were aggrieved, as at the time they were banned from setting foot in a coffeehouse. However, this did not stop the ‘Men's Answer to the Women's Petition against Coffee' being published later that year. The document defended coffee claiming that women should be thankful for coffee, as it was in fact an aphrodisiac.

James Grierson is the owner of Galla Coffee: http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk - Uk online retailer of designer coffee accessories. Through the Coffee Knowledge section of his website he aims to help people understand more about coffee and give them tips on how to make great tasting coffee in their home.

http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk

Which Coffee Maker? Grinding Out the Answer

Sure, the No, not how it was brewed but how it was that you are able to drink a cup of coffee. Sure, the coffee machine plays an important role in making your perfectly brewed cup of coffee, but just how did that coffee maker first come about, or how did the first person who ever sipped the first cup of coffee have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee came about? No, not how it was brewed but how it was brewed but how it was that you are able to drink a cup of coffee. Sure, the coffee machine plays an important role in making your perfectly brewed cup of coffee, but just how did that coffee maker first come about, or how did the first person who ever sipped the first cup of coffee came about? No, not how it was that you are able to drink a cup of coffee. When you stop at the convenience store or at a local coffee shop for your morning cup of coffee have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee came about?

I wonder what kind of coffee machine they have. Do you know they even drink coffee on the Space Shuttle? Well that is of no consequence because since that life altering decision man has been enjoying coffee in many different cultures, different countries and different places. One has to wonder why he himself decided to give the berries a try. Legend goes back to a lonely sheep herder in Ethiopia who noticed his sheep acting strangely every time they ate certain red berries from a certain bush.

Talking about grinding the beans there are also two types of coffee grinders; burr and blade grinders, both serve the purpose equally well, so the type of grinder you have does not affect your cup of coffee. Grinding your beans before you start percolating your coffee ensures you get the most out of the bean. Apparently the best part of the coffee bean is found deep within it therefore pre-ground, once the package is opened loses that rich coffee aroma. Coffee drinkers also advise against buying pre-ground coffee, pre-grinding diminishes the coffee flavor and aroma. The coffee drinker is in charge of the roasting level; medium or dark roast. Roasting machines allow coffee drinkers to buy premium coffee beans at discount prices and roast them at home. You can even roast your own coffee beans with the Home coffee roaster machines. Start with great coffee beans. Not necessarily.. The one million dollar question is exactly what makes a good cup of coffee?

Shopping for coffee makers

Remember to look online, you can find many discount coffee makers. How much you are willing to spend on seeking the perfect cup of coffee. Take into consideration how much and how often you drink coffee. Choose a coffee machine that suits your needs. There are filter coffee makers that make both cappuccino and filter coffee. There are three different types of coffee makers.

Whether you enjoy your coffee with or without cream or whether you enjoy a robust and flavorful cup of black coffee remember to thank that lowly sheep herder who took a risk and ate the first coffee bean.

Are Coffee Colonics The Real Thing?

Some people claim that they provide immediate relief to toxicity symptoms, such as congestion, indigestion, pain and headaches. Coffee colonics detoxify the liver, as well as cleans the colon.

There are even some small studies that suggest that coffee colonics can aid in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

There is a special circulatory system between this portion of the colon and the liver. At the very end of the colon, before reaching the rectum, is an "S" shaped segments called the sigmoid colon.

This is because stool at this point in the colon contains putrefied material and needs to be handled carefully in order to avoid toxicity leaking into the bloodstream.

This system of veins enables toxins to be sent directly to the liver for detoxification, rather than them passing through the bloodstream to the rest of the body and vital organs.

During coffee colonics, the caffeine in the coffee goes straight to the liver where it becomes an extremely strong detoxifying chemical called glutathione-S-transferase. The coffee itself also stimulates the liver to make more bile.

The bile comes from the gallbladder and draws out environmental and metabolic toxins, as well as the toxins from Candida albicans and other parasitic organisms. The colon is responsible for ridding the body of these toxins.

In addition, the liver is then stimulated to produce enzymes that clean the blood since it's no longer needing to work as strenuously on the colon. The coffee itself never enters the bloodstream as long as the coffee colonic is performed properly.

Only organic coffee can be used for coffee colonics. Non-organic coffees contain herbicides and pesticides that will hinder the coffee colonics healing properties, as do instant and decaffeinated coffees.

Organic coffee is available through natural food stores, both in person or online.

How often you perform coffee colonics really just depends on what your goals may be. In the first few months of a more intensive regimen, many people prefer to take a coffee colonics as many as three to seven times each.

For people in a more relaxed regimen or in the latter, established stages of an intensive regimen, this is much too much.

At this point, it is recommended that you limit your colonics to only when you feel they are needed; you may feel constipated, have Candida overgrowth, or just generally feel out of sorts.

Currently, there is a clinical trial underway at the Columbia University Department of Surgery to test the so-called "The Gonzales Protocol."

(1) This clinical trial is currently in its Phase III randomized study after the first two phases showed as much as three times the average life expectancy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

(2) The Gonzales Protocol involves a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, supplements, and detoxifying colonics, including coffee colonics.

In this study of seventy-two to ninety patients, half will receive standard chemotherapy and half with receive The Gonzales Protocol. The doctor hopes to recreate the promising results found in his pilot study in this more involved Phase III clinical trial.

While many within the medical community find The Gonzales Protocol extremely difficult to accept, it's difficult to dispute its pilot study's results.

The median survival rate for patients in the stage of pancreatic cancer as those in the pilot study is four to six months. Some of Dr. Gonzalez's patients are still alive after three years.

This indisputable evidence has led some skeptics to acknowledge that maybe there's something to the protocol that includes coffee colonics as a base part of the program. If nothing else, the skeptics feel that the results warrant further study.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Coffee Is A Historic Beverage, And It Makes For A Great Gift

So where did this famed drink come from? We drink it out of habit, we drink it for flavor; whatever the reason, it is surely a popular beverage. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day, or for late night study sessions. a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in the morning. Ahhhhh, coffee...

However, Homer, and according to Arabian tales speak of a mysterious bitter black beverage with powers of stimulation that could have been this drink. The most notable dates point to around 800b.c. In the East it was widespread at every level of society, since the earlier era. Coffee, for Americans, is three hundred years old.

From there it spread to Egypt, Yemen, and Arabia, where it became a part of daily life. No matter how it actually was created, the fact remains that the coffee plant started in Africa, in an Ethiopian region known as Kaffa. After relating his observations to a monk, they boiled the berries and made a beverage that could disperse sleep and weariness. In 1400 a Yemeni goat herder observed his flock eating reddish berries, then becoming excited and restless. About the year 1000, coffee was being used for medicinal purposes.

By the 20th century, various forms of coffee were developed for the public. Much later, around 1727 coffee growing started in Northern Brazil. However, due to an increasing demand for the new beverage, and high taxes on shipping, there was experimentation with growing the crops in various other countries. In the late 1500s coffee was a commodity, being sold in Europe.

This was marketed in the 1920s. They developed the process of taking the caffeine out of the beans without losing any flavor. Decaffeinated coffee was first founded in 1903 when Ludwig Roselius, a German coffee importer, gave a batch of damaged coffee beans to researchers.

Instant coffee was first mass produced from the invention of George Constant Washington, an English chemist living in Guatemala. While waiting for his wife one day to join him outside for coffee, he observed on the spout of the silver coffee urn, a fine powder, which looked to be the condensation of the coffee vapors. This excited him and led to his founding of soluble coffee.

In 1906 he started experiments and put his invention, Red E Coffee, in the markets in 1909. Nestle', in 1938, trying to aid Brazil with their coffee surpluses created freeze-dried coffee. Nescafe was started and first introduced into Switzerland. Instant coffee became a fad after 1956 when commercial television was the new craze.

And now in the US alone, 400 billion cups of coffee a year are consumed. Coffee is one of the world's largest commodities, second only to oil. From a remote area in Africa, to millions of shelves and homes worldwide, coffee has became a fixture everywhere.

The author has been a passionate coffee drinker for many years. She has tasted coffees from all over the world, and believes in serving and entertaining her guests with only the best.

She has catered hundreds of events and affairs and is known for her attention to details, especially regarding picking the perfect coffee.

Coffee Maker Parts — Get to the Basics

Many different types of coffee makers exist—percolators, automatic drip-brew, etc.—but, because of the basic concept of water passing through coffee grounds or beans to create coffee, the coffee maker parts are very similar with each type.

Along the back of the heat pad a sometimes wide rectangular-shaped cylinder for water stock rises to an extended slip with a track underneath to support a filter cup. In terms of coffee maker parts, the basic coffee maker consists of a base, called a heat pad, on which sites a glass or ceramic pot.

Most machines, those differing slightly from brand to brand or make to make, are comprised with these five coffee maker parts: heat pad, water-stock cylinder, a slip with open flap and track, a filter cup, and a coffee pot. This slip typically has an opening with a flap at the top for pouring the water into the cylinder.

This white pocket of paper-like interwoven fiber is sometimes zigzag-creased and sometimes smooth, but it is always thick and heavy enough to support the weight of coffee grounds. Of course, a list of the coffee maker parts wouldn't be complete without mentioning the filter itself.

As exemplified by the convenience of the filter, the coffee maker parts in general work together to make that great rich cup of smoldering coffee - the best ever inhaled! After use, both soggy filter and coffee grounds are thrown away, so cleaning the filter for reuse is unnecessary. As exemplified by the convenience of the filter is that it is only used once. After use, both soggy filter and coffee grounds are thrown away, so cleaning the filter for reuse is unnecessary. As exemplified by the convenience of the filter is that it is only used once. After use, both soggy filter and coffee grounds are thrown away, so cleaning the filter for reuse is unnecessary. One innovative convenience of the filter is that it is only used once.

The process of brewing coffee, in the context of the relationship between the coffee maker parts, is a simple and easy process: Cold water is poured through the flap on the top of the slip and stored in the back cylinder until the machine is heated up.

When the water is at the right temperature and the pad at the bottom of the machine is hot, the water in the cylinder is channeled through the slip and down into the coffee grounds within the filter. Coffee then fills the otherwise empty pot below.

Only a few parts need to conduct this process efficiently, and when each part is working properly, the process is good-to-go! These coffee maker parts work like a snap—one, two, three!

Gourmet Coffee – You Can't Resist The Second Cup

Could you ever resist the craving to have a second cup of that beautiful, strongly aromatic and lazily steaming cup of coffee? Perhaps no one can do it. A passionate Gourmet's delight, freshly brewed, thick and dark brown and irresistible coffee just brightens up your day like no other drink or anything else can do.

Why Is Gourmet Coffee So Special

One might be tempted to ask why gourmet coffee is so special. Well, here is the answer. For starters, gourmet coffee is always made by high quality fresh Arabica coffee beans which are always hand picked unlike other commercial coffees which are mostly machine graded. Hand picking of coffee beans eliminate chances for dirt such as twigs, leaves etc to sneak in and spoil your coffee.

Secondly, gourmet coffee beans are specially treated with oils after roasting which enhances its flavor to no end. The oil used for coffee bean treatment is a blend of many natural oils which do not have their adverse effect on the shelf life or stability of the ground powder unlike synthetic oils. The oils are so mixed that their characteristic flavors neutralize each other.

You can have different tailor made roast for your gourmet coffee. Deep roasted beans some what loose their natural aroma and this is why you feel the ‘roasted flavor' when drinking it. Rather you would prefer a lighter roasting which retains its entire natural aroma.

Arabica coffee beans are ground to the exact perfection of fineness to get its best taste. But generally a finer grind results in a full-bodied cup of coffee, but as many would like it, coarser grinds are preferred to make coffee with coarse filters.

Finer grinds are preferred by those who like espresso but true lovers of gourmet coffee will almost invariably go with the coarse ground coffee powder as boiled water takes its own sweet time to pull out the flavor completely, especially in drip type filters.

Arabica coffee beans are never stored in warehouses as they are dispatched quickly after harvesting. It is the same story after roasting and grinding them, too. The beans from Arabica trees are, by nature, tastier than Robusta, another cheaper variety.

To its credit, Robusta coffee bean offers you higher caffeine content along with that characteristic acidic taste. Another little known fact is some marketers mix a small percentage of Robusta with gourmet coffee beans.

NamSing Then is a regular article contributor on many topics. Be sure to visit his other websites Coffee Resources , Coffee Grinder and Tea Resources

Coffee Resources Coffee Grinder Tea Resources

Kona Coffee: the Pride of Hawaii

Coffee is one of the most important commodities the world over. This byproduct of coffee cherries and coffee beans has remained one of the most popular beverages.

From the time that it originated from Ethiopia centuries ago, coffee has become a household basic - something that people cannot do without.

There are two basic coffee variants: one is the traditional Arabica, and the other is Robusta coffee. Many coffee enthusiasts agree that the former has a stronger flavor than the latter, so it tastes better.

This is because Arabica coffee contains beans in its purest form - rather than Robusta coffee which only has half of the caffeine amount that can be found in Arabica coffee variants.

Due to the high demand of Arabica coffee in the industry, many rare coffee variants found only in certain places have found a niche market.

Hawaii's Kona Coffee

Aside from the gorgeous beaches, lush forests and warm people, another thing that Hawaiians are proud of is a coffee variant that is solely produced in their islands, which is the Kona coffee.

Kona is a part of the Hawaiian archipelago where this special coffee variant is grown. Kailua-Kona is the largest town in the district, and it has two districts: the northern and southern districts of Kona.

On the Dry Side of the Island

The word Kona literally means on the dry side of the land. Kona coffee if therefore grown on the dry side of Big Island, which is the largest among all the Hawaiian islands.

There are two districts which divide Kailua-Kona, and Kona coffee grows primarily on the West side of the Hawaiian archipelago.

This location, as well as the climate, makes Hawaii an ideal setting to grow Kona coffee, which has become a world-class coffee variant.

What makes coffee plants in Kona unique from other coffee plants in the world are:

1. The ideal location

Hawaii is basically a group of islands formed by volcanic slopes. Kona coffee if grown along the rocky volcanic slopes of Mount Lona and Mount Hualalai.

2. The ideal climate

Due to the tropical climate in Hawaii, the mornings are almost always warm and sunny. During the afternoon, there is a slight mist which befalls the islands, further nurturing the coffee plants.

3. The meticulous care of coffee farmers.

Most of the coffee farmers in Hawaii rely on the basic hand-picking method, ensuring the freshness of the freshly-gathered coffee cherries.

Some coffee producers use modern machinery to ensure fast harvesting when the coffee cherries are mature enough. However, a machine cannot give out the personal touch that farmers can give during harvesting.

A machine may not recognize overripe or immature coffee beans, and put them all together once harvested. This results in an impure coffee blend once the beans are processed.

On the other hand, a hand-picked batch of coffee cherries is assured of almost 100 per cent quality.

Kona coffee is also an Arabica blend, making it a truly premier coffee variant that Hawaiians can proudly offer to the world.

Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in Food and Drink. For more information regarding Kona Coffee please drop by at http://www.hotcoffeeplus.com/

Kona Coffee http://www.hotcoffeeplus.com/