A lot of people are addicted to caffeine – more specifically coffee. They can't go on with their daily activities (including the first morning movement of the bowels) without that hit of sweet, over-priced caffeinated joe from their favorite coffee shop. Conveniently for everyone, there is one at almost every corner to make your daily addiction more accessible. Coffee shops are basically the drug pushers of the morning commute.
Coffee came on the scene about a thousand years ago when the coffee plant was first discovered in Ethiopia, and was thought to have medicinal properties. Just like many things discovered early on in the centuries, coffee is no exception to mystical legend and folklore.
It is said coffee was originally discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi. He found his goats frolicking, as goats often do, and noticed that they were full of energy after eating the red fruit of the coffee shrub. Kaldi then decided to try the fruit himself and had a similar reaction. After a monk witnessed their strange behavior, he decided to take some of the fruit back to his fellow monks; they all spent the night awake and alert. They were of course reacting to the high dose of caffeine, which is not only a stimulant for humans, but also acts as a natural pesticide to protect the coffee fruit from insects. Mother Nature can sure be so smart sometimes.
It wasn't until the 13th century that humans started roasting coffee beans. Prior to that the fruits would be mashed into a pulp and fermented into a wine-like beverage. A concoction made from boiling the leaves of the plant was enjoyed by many and made its way around the world, being cultivated in Yemen by the 14th century and eventually making its way to the Americas.
The world’s most expensive coffee called Kopi Luwak can go for up to $600 per pound. That’s because its beans are eaten and then excreted by a Sumatran wild cat. Just think, it’s someone’s job to dig through cat poop for partially digested coffee beans, just so folks can drink some coffee.
Most of the world’s coffee today is produced in Colombia and Brazil, which isn’t too surprising considering the plant’s preference for tropical climates. Coffee is the second most valuable, legally-traded substance in the world (the first one being oil). While the price of your daily cup of coffee might only be a few bucks, the human cost is much higher as much coffee is grown and harvested under essentially modern-day slavery conditions. Many farmers are paid an unfairly low wage, workers are subjected to harsh conditions and long hours. Enter the fair trade movement.
According to Fairtrade.ca: “With Fairtrade, certified coffee producer organisations are guaranteed to receive at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price for their coffee, which aims to cover their costs of production and act as a safety net when market prices fall below a sustainable level.” So if you are going to drink coffee choose fair trade and local whenever possible.
There is much to say about the health effects of coffee, both for and against. There have been studies done suggesting coffee may improve your overall life and make you live longer. But before you brew your next cup, something to consider is that coffee has also been shown to irritate your digestive system, urinary tract and prostate, and too much caffeine can make you anxious and jittery. As with so many things in life, moderation is key, my friends.
Grilled greens with coffee vinaigrette
Ingredients:
• 8 scallions, white parts only
• 4 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 ounces queso fresco (omit for vegan option)
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp espresso
• 3 cups torn frisée
• 1 cup trimmed watercress
• 1/2 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro and parsley
• Coconut oil (for grill)
• Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
• Combine onions, tomatillos, garlic, cheese, and 1/3 cup olive oil in a glass mason jar, season with salt and pepper. Seal container and shake. Let sit at least 1 hour.
• Whisk vinegar, honey, and espresso in a medium bowl until honey and espresso are dissolved. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high. Remove onions and tomatillos from marinade; grill, turning occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Remove cheese from marinade and grill, turning often, until browned on all sides, 8−10 minutes; let cool.
• Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; coarsely chop cheese.
• Arrange greens on a platter. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with half of vinaigrette. Top with cucumber, herbs, and grilled vegetables and cheese; drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
Adapted from Bon Appétit
