For many Americans, coffee is a natural part of their day-to-day routine. Mornings are powered by a hot cup of joe, and it plays a pivotal role in getting the day started off the right way. With the US importing over $4 billion in coffee a year, Americans' java addiction is showing no signs of decline. As such, the foodie powers-that-be have dedicated a special day out of the year to coffee. September 29^th is National Coffee Day, and we'd like to pay homage to one of the world's most popularly consumed beverages. Read below to learn about coffee history, and to gather ideas on where you can go to get your caffeine fix!

The name "coffee" derives from the Arabic word qahwah which means "to put one off." In the context of "putting off" sleep, the name is quite suitable. Coffee's history dates far back to the early ninth century in the highlands of Ethiopia. Legend has it that a shepherd named Kaldi noticed that his goats experienced a higher level of energy after consuming wild coffee berries. After sampling the berries himself and experiencing the stimulating effects, he shared his findings with a monk at a local monastery. Impressed by the re-energizing effects, the monk shared the berries with the other monks at the monastery. Word of the astonishing effects of the coffee berries quickly began to circulate, spreading east to Arab regions where coffee was first roasted, brewed and cultivated. With alcohol consumption forbidden by the Muslim religion, Arabs found great satisfaction in coffee's stimulating properties and it quickly became a part of the Arab social fabric.

Through trade with the Europeans, coffee became a popular import by the mid-17^th century in Europe. Upon its arrival in America, it didn't experience much success until the Boston Tea Party, when colonists who were rebelling against tea taxes developed a fondness for coffee. Drinking nearly 400 million cups of coffee per day, Americans now consume the most coffee in the world.

On A Personal Note:.

You know when I was a kid...I know, I know...but I was a kid way back when...well, when I was a kid we all would gather around the meal table and Mom would firmly let us know that there were limits to our meal.  You see we did not always have bunches and to make sure everyone at the table got equal shares...well, Mom set the limits for all to understand.  We would be told how many pieces of chicken (yep, the one that had been runnin' around with his buddies earlier in the day in our back yard) we could rightfully expect.  Quickly we got to understand the meaning of caring for the others in our family...or for those that visited us for that matter. 

Why am I telling you this??  Well, you see because of this I have developed a pet peeve that cannot be overcome.  When I see folks that sit down at the table with say six others...whether it is in a home setting or anywhere else, then they have a platter of chicken placed in their hands and the platter has say seven pieces of chicken on it...then they proceed to place maybe two large pieces on their plate before passing it along...or say they are given a bowl of mashed potatoes passed to them and they take a full 1/3rd of the bowl 'cause they really like potatoes...well, I just want to stand up and spit!  Don't worry, I do not do that!  However, I do see visions of Mom with that look on her face gettin' ready to lower the boom, and I cannot help but wonder if some folks care for others while others care more for themselves and if in fact potato abuse is a clear indicator of the latter! :o)  Yep, I am afraid I do tend to ponder on this...try as I might, I do. 

Well, to overcome this affliction, when I prepare a meal for a gathering, I mostly want to prepare at least two times more food for each meal just so I do not have to take too many mental notes...and so everyone (both the potential care for others and the care for themselves) can have their fill.  Because of this my dear Jude does not let me do the preparing, 'cause we would be further into the po' house than we are currently, and that would not be good...to say the least! :o)  So, if you are ever around the ol' Coffeeman at meal time...well, just try to overlook my mannerisms, my spittings and sputterings...and just know I am in charge of the coffee and I can promise you there will always be enough of that good The Alpaca Bean Brew to calm even my restive spirit!  :o)

Do you have these kind of pet peeves?  Please tell me you do...if so write me with them and maybe we can get a "group session" going, don't you know?  If this proves to be successful...well, maybe we can set a time and place to sit and drink our good brew (and it is good for you), we can talk about these things and figure out stuff together!  Well...maybe not totally, but we can enjoy a good mug of joe and tell good stories...laugh...joke and such...give it some thought!  Just think we can start to sing that Coca-Cola song about the world joining hands and such...

Well, I cannot go on...I am overcome and need to find my coffee pot...so until next time... 

Peace,

The Coffeeman 

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