September 29th, 2016 is National Coffee Day.
Regardless of whether or not you consider it to be your “cup of Joe”, coffee, undeniably, has climbed its way up the ladder of illustrious beverages to claim its position as one of the most recognized drinks in the world. Nearly all forms of the word are derived from its Arabic origin (“qahwa”, قهوة); kāfēi, café, coffee, qahva, qahwa, café, kaphi, kófe, kōhī and kāfī. Since its introduction to the rest of the world, coffee has established itself as one of the most intellectual, sophisticated, and culturally-significant drinks of today– the first webcam footage ever filmed was of a pot of coffee!
Though I myself abstain from the lures of coffee (cue the groans of every hipster in a ten-mile radius), as my prefered drink of choice stands as tea, the invigorating aroma of a fresh-brewed cup of java is (almost) enough to make me reevaluate my decision as a member of Team Tea. As any coffee-lover will tell you, aroma is among the top list of factors determining the quality of a pot of coffee– the other three being the brew, the roast, and the bean itself.
The earliest accounts of coffee-drinking can be traced back to 15th-century Yemen, where its caffeine was used to keep Sufi circles awake and alert. Coffee only continued to extend its reach in the next 100 years, from the rest of the Middle East to as far as Persia, Turkey, and parts of Africa. Not until 1615 was coffee introduced to Europe by Venetian merchants, the first European coffeehouse being established in London in 1652. It was in similar coffeehouses that the revolutionary thoughts that shook the world were born. Coffeehouses served as a conventional gathering place for men of high rankings to congregate and participate in intellectual conversation. It is believed that composers such as Bach and Beethoven were spawned within the houses’ interiors, as well as that scientific breakthroughs, such as those of Sir Isaac Newton, took place over a steaming mug of coffee.
If you aren’t sipping coffee for its rich historic background, it’s likely that the reason instead is simply for the enjoyment and taste, or perhaps even coffee’s many health benefits. Coffee contains a plethora of antioxidants which many claim to ensure longevity, burns fat, protects the liver, and allegedly prevents Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. A single cup of coffee is said to contain 11% of the daily recommended amount of Riboflavin (vitamin B2), 6% of Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5), 3% of Manganese and Potassium, and 2% of Niacin and Magnesium.
In learning of this national holiday, it struck me as exceedingly appropriate that Lake Forest’s new Starbucks recently opened its new location. In celebration of National Coffee Day, don’t forget to grab a cup at the local Hansa, Reprise Coffee Roasters, Newport Coffee House, or Prairie Espresso!
