Coffee Facts

Coffee is actually a term that was once used for a wine that was made from the berries of a coffee tree. In fact, the black wine, as it was referred to during that time, is used in religious rites as wine by people of Mohammed. Of course, as time passed, coffee became a staple and not just wine for religious ceremonies.

Caffeine, although universally taken, is actually one of the substances that are being prohibited by the International Olympic Committee. In fact, there are athletes that are banned from competing because of caffeine.

They must not have 12 micrograms of caffeine in their urine. This can be reached when you drink about five cups of coffee straight. And here we thought it is only steroids were being banned in the Olympic battle ground.

Did you know that the body can absorb as much as 300 milligrams of caffeine at one time. This can be gotten from about 4 cups of coffee. Additional cups don't work because after this limit is reached, they don't provide any more stimulation. In fact, the body has an internal system that neutralizes caffeine every hour.

Coffee in the cowboy era makes theirs by straining ground coffee in a clean sock and then dousing them in cold water. This is then heated over fire. Hmm… Coffee in socks! Yukk!

In Paris, the first coffeehouse was opened in 1689. Its name Café Procope was taken from the owner Francois Procope. The café caters to artsy people in the city.

Cappucino is actually the result of several word derivations that are used in different ways. The most original derivation was from an order of friars, the Capuchin. Their name comes from the term used for the hood part of their habit, the cappuccio. Since the color of the cappuccino resembles the habit— coffee topped with cream or milk— it has since began to carry that name.

Countries used different ways to grade their coffee. For instance, in Costa Rica coffees are graded according to the bean. In Kenya, they use the standard A, B, C system which are already in place as grading system for most products on the market.

Different countries drink their coffee in different ways. The Moroccans for instance add peppercorns while those from the Middle East use cardamom and spices. Austrians love putting whipped creams into their coffee cup while the German and the Swiss like it with chocolate. Egyptians drink it black while the Italians use sugar. The turks even use coffee in their wedding feasts.

Turkish bridegrooms present coffee to their new wives. The custom even mentions that failing to do so can be a grounds for divorce. There are coffee houses in Yugoslavia that are known as kafano. They will brew your own coffee while you wait. They use deyza, an open pot and use tiny cups called the demitasse.