Morgan Freeman,Jack Nicholson

 

and the Kopi Luwak

If you are in Indonesia, or other places in southeast Asia, and happen to come across a strange, rodent-like creature in the jungle, tread carefully – you could very well be walking right over some of the world’s most expensive coffee. Does this sound strange and unusual? To most people it does, but not to the manufacturers of kopi luwak (Indonesian for ‘coffee civet’) coffee. The odd and intriguing tale of the kopi luwak – as seen in the movie “The Bucket List” – is one every coffee lover should know.

There is, believe it or not, a brand of coffee out there that comes from an animal. The animal does not grow it, of course. Rather, it produces coffee in an entirely different way. But first, let us talk about the Asian Palm Civet. This creature is a mammal that resembles a cat in size and appearance. They typically grow up to 21 inches long and can weigh as much as eight or nine pounds. They also have a nasty habit of spraying noxious secretions out of glands in their body at trespassers or predators – which is one reason why it is a good idea to avoid them. Fortunately, they are nocturnal, so you will not stumble across them unless you are trekking through the jungle at night.

Now, on to the coffee.

If you have ever seen the movie “The Bucket List”, you have already been introduced to this coffee. In the movie, the character played by Jack Nicholson loves kopi luwak – even to the point where he drinks it while in court! His character loves expensive things, and kopi luwak definitely fits that description. Kopi luwak coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world, bar none. If you want a pound of this coffee, you will shell out anywhere from $100 to $600 per pound – talk about expensive! Most days I am just fortunate to get a cheap cup of coffee in me when I wake up. Just imagine drinking a cup of this stuff. If you want to sample this drink without shelling out a small fortune, you can travel to Australia or London and get a nice, steaming cup of kopi luwak for a (relatively) cheap price of $50 to $100 per cup. Yikes.

So, how is this coffee related to the Asian Palm Civet? Well, that is a good question. You see, this creature loves to eat berries, particularly coffee berries. Each berry contains coffee beans, so when the civet is eating coffee berries, it is consuming coffee beans as well. The digestive juices in the animal’s stomach strip away the berry portion, and changes the chemistry of the bean to give it a unique taste. Then animal then…you know…goes to the bathroom.

Coffee harvesters then pick up the waste, wash it off, and roast and process the beans as normal. And that is how you get kopi luwak coffee. Now you see why it is so expensive: it comes from an animal! In “The Bucket List”, Morgan Freeman’s character reads off a description of how the coffee is made to Jack Nicholson’s character, who is shocked. His hilarious reaction is probably the same one you had when you read this article! Now that you know the strange tale of the kopi luwak, you may (or may not) want to hunt down a cup of luwak coffee for your very own.

 

 

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5 More Amazing Facts About

Coffee and Health

 

As we all know, coffee is incredibly popular across the world. As far as beverages go, coffee is by and large the most popular one – even more so than tea, hot chocolate, Coca-Cola, and other drinks of choice. Why is this drink desired so much by millions across the globe? We all know that it tastes great, gives you a perky boost, and can make you in a better mood no matter how bad your day has been. Did you know, though, that coffee is also healthy for you? I know you are probably thinking that I am completely out of my mind, but hear me out. Below I have outlined five more amazing facts about coffee and health for you to digest and perhaps give you more of a reason to consume this delicious beverage.

Five More Amazing Facts About Coffee and Health:

1. Coffee boosts your body

Drinking coffee has great results for your physical and mental performance. For starters, it gives you energy – just drinking one cup can give you a much-needed spark that propels you through a tough project or a rough day at work. Coffee also stimulates how you react to stimuli, increases your attention span, and helps you to concentrate, particularly if you’re working with math or numbers.

2. Coffee won’t make you gain weight

If you are on a diet, or are watching your weight, then coffee is a great drink for you. Without sugar, milk, or any other creamer or sweetener, coffee contains zero calories – which means you can drink all the black coffee you want without gaining weight. Therefore, you get the great benefits and boost from the caffeine in your cup, without any calories to count.

3. Coffee works fast

You don’t have to wait days for the health benefits of coffee to kick in. You can feel the initial effects of your large mocha latte within 15 to 20 minutes after finishing that first cup, with the full benefits lasting over 5 hours. That is 5 hours of health benefits in your system. No wonder why people love this drink!

4. Coffee can help against skin cancer

Skin cancer is a scary and dangerous condition caused by overexposure to harmful UV rays from the sun. Good news, though; some research shows that drinking coffee can possibly help prevent or mitigate the effect of UV rays on your skin. The protection you receive from UV damage from coffee actually increases if you exercise (since regular exercise can release hormones that make your skin healthy and strong). So the next time you go to the beach, take a cup of coffee with ya.

5. Coffee can prevent constipation

Constipation occurs when your body’s digestive system becomes blocked or slowed. Coffee helps to break this up and even prevent constipation in some people because it stirs up the digestive juices in your stomach that can increase overall digestive activity – which results in lowered constipation.

These five more amazing facts about coffee and health are great motivators to consume coffee on a regular basis. People around the world absolutely adore this beverage for a variety of great reasons –especially the taste. But now that you know five more amazing facts about coffee and health, you can really enjoy your coffee even more.

 

 

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Five More Tips For The Perfect Cup Of Coffee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Five More Tips for the Perfect

Coffee Cup

Do you wake up every morning and anxiously look forward to your first boiling pot of coffee to wake you up and welcome you to the day? Do you yearn for a steaming mug waiting for you when you come home from a long day at work? If so, then you are like millions of people out there in the world who enjoy and savor the great, relaxing taste of coffee. Part of loving coffee is developing your own style and taste for coffee. We are particular creatures and we like our favorite things a certain way. Hopefully this article will help you to get your coffee just the way you like it. Here are five more tips for the perfect coffee cup.

1. Try it on Ice- Iced Gourmet Coffee

At first, the idea of iced coffee is strange. Isn’t coffee supposed to be hot? Believe it or not, many people actually love and prefer iced coffee. There are several ways to prepare this beverage at home; the most effective way is to let the coffee beans soak in cold water for hours before preparing the drink. This can take some time, though, so you can get a great cup of iced gourmet coffee at your local coffee house. Whether it is home-brewed or brewed by a barista, an iced latte or iced mocha can really make your day.

2. Take Care of Your Coffee Beans

Coffee beans are the main part of a great cup of coffee, so it is important that you care for them as much as possible. Many people say you should keep your coffee beans in the freezer for longevity, and while that is true to an extent, you do not want to grind cold beans. (And yes, it tastes better when you hand-grind your own beans!). Grind your beans at room temperature for the best taste, and be sure to keep them stored in airtight containers.

3. Filter Your Water! Better Water, Better Coffee

As with other beverages, the water in the coffee can really affect its taste – for better or for worse. For the best results, make sure you use distilled or filtered water, not regular tap, for your brew. This is one of the reasons why store-brewed coffee tastes so good – they make sure they use great-tasting water.

4. Make Fresh Coffee, Drink Fresh Coffee

Another great tip for great java is to brew it and drink it fresh. Once you finish brewing it, your pot of coffee will stay fresh and good for only twenty minutes or so. And of course, reheating the coffee

is never good – reheated coffee does not nearly taste as flavorful as fresh coffee. This is why you should make a fresh pot of coffee for your second cup, or for guests.

5. Go Exotic- Two Great Gourmet Coffee Blends

Your standard, home-brewed cup of coffee can taste wonderful, but sometimes you may want to go a little further and try something truly exotic. The Viennese and the Turkish are two great gourmet coffee brews that may entice you. For the Viennese, take an eighth of a cup of chocolate and melt it with a tablespoon of cream. Blend this with the coffee, sprinkle some cocoa and cinnamon on top, and savor the great flavors. For the Turkish, take fine Turkish coffee, boil it in a pot (or in a special pot called a dzezva) with half a teaspoon of sugar, and add in a teaspoon of Turkish coffee when it starts to boil. Then remove it, let it cool, and enjoy.

Coffee is a wonderful treat, and you deserve for your cup to be as good as possible. I hope you take these five tips for the perfect cup of coffee to heart and use them to make your coffee delicious!

 

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Gourmet Coffee Beans -Amazing Facts About Coffee

Coffee Tips – Five Tips For The Perfect Cup Of Coffee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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