Shutterstock©Whether you’re a lover of latte or a fan of flat white, get the kettle on and put your feet up as we tell you all about your favourite beverage.
The origins of coffee…
To begin with, did you know the popular breakfast cuppa (well, OK, any time of the day suits us just fine!) is hundreds of years old?
A goatherd reportedly discovered it after his goats became very energetic when eating what looked like red cherries.
After his flock refused to sleep at night, the goatherd mentioned the phenomenon to the abbot of the local monastery.
That industrious abbot then made a drink with the berries to keep him alert through the long hours of evening prayer.
Fast facts about coffee:
- Worldwide, we drink a lot of coffee every day — around 2.25 billion cups, in fact.
- Coffee is the third most consumed beverage in the world behind water and tea.
- There are various health benefits linked with drinking coffee, including reduced risk of illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
- Did you know our favourite breakfast drink has previously been banned? In 1511, it was outlawed by leaders in Mecca, who believed it stimulated radical thinking. Sixteenth-century clergymen believed it was “satanic” and disallowed it. Pope Clement VII, on the other hand, loved coffee. He lifted the ban and had the drink baptised in 1600.
- On December 10, 2022, the largest cup of coffee ever was made by the Tonic World Center S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) in Guanajuato. It contained 26,939.22 litres (5,925.8 UK gal; 7,116.59 US gal). During this record attempt, 300kg of coffee was used, and the coffee cup measured 3.5 metres in diameter and 3.05 metres tall!
- According to sources, the most expensive coffee in the world is made with the help of elephants. The Black Ivory Coffee Company in Thailand feeds Arabica beans to the elephants, and after the beans have been excreted, they are roasted and processed into coffee. It’s thought it costs around $2,500 per kilogram! Chances are elephant dung is not going to be the first choice of coffee for many of us, though!
- Scientists have successfully turned coffee into biodiesel. In fact, in March 2010, a Volkswagen Scircocco successfully made the trip from London to Manchester (337 kilometres), fuelled by coffee grounds!
- Coffee is universally enjoyed and there’s even a worldwide day dedicated to it on October 1. The UK has a week-long celebration of coffee, too, and in 2024 it takes place between October 15-21.
If these facts have put you in the mood for a nice cup of coffee, how about a slice or cake or a scone to go with it? Try this easy Ginger And Custard Crumble Cake recipe, or this one for Lemon and Elderflower Scones. Enjoy!
