Book Review: Coffee Talk

By Sandy Amazeen Apr 7, 2011, 2:10 GMT

What is it about coffee that makes it so popular across so many different cultures? Can it be the caffeine or is there something else about coffee that makes it so alluring?No beverage has broader worldwide appeal. In North America and Europe, the annual amount of coffee consumed is overwhelming. And in China and even in India, the traditional stronghold of tea drinking, the coffee business has grown by leaps ...more

From the young shepherd who observed his goats strange behavior to modern day Starbucks, Satin follows coffee’s history from its discovery in the Ethiopian highlands to its eventual place as the world’s most popular hot cup. Recognizing coffee’s ability to sharpen mental functions and improve stamina, the Muslim’s quickly embraced the new beverage only to ban it later. As coffee’s popularity grew, so did efforts to expand its range which led to coffee trees being imported to the new world along with slaving practices that wreaked havoc with the local populations. Satin then goes on to examine the development of Fair Trade agreement, the days of insipid American coffee, the meteoric rise of Starbucks, the various health benefits and risks and coffee’s chemical composition.

This is not a guide to brewing the perfect cup but instead, a well-rounded examination of how some strange red berries became such a necessary part of daily life. Readers are guaranteed to have a greater appreciation for what goes into growing, picking and roasting their favorite beans. There is a selection of notable quotes including this gem between Lady Nancy Astor who worked with Sir Winston Churchill that goes as follows: Astor: “If I were your wife, I would put poison in your coffee.”
Churchill: “And if I were your husband, I would drink it.”
Make this altogether enjoyable read even better by savoring with a steamy hot triple latte or sweet mocha.