In my old age, I have discovered that one of life's little pleasures is a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. Since I've been here, I've enjoyed the rich, thick delight of Turkish coffee. It has everything one would wish for in a great cup of joe: bold strong flavor, foam at the top, and, to my surprise, a bit of sweetness to counterbalance the bitterness.
After more than a week of searching out the best coffee in Bethlehem, which I must admit is served from Cloudette's dinning room table, I finally put my culinary skills to the test. I made my first cup of Turkish coffee!
I confess to being a long-time decaf coffee drinker due to a caffeine addiction that surfaced in seminary. For the sake of cultural engagement, I have discarded my non-caffeine rule and now enjoy quiet mornings here in Bethlehem with a demi-tasse cup of the caffeinated type.
Who knew that coffee was first discovered by an Ethiopian farmer named Kaldi who found that his goats got buzzed when they ate the berries from the coffee plant. He took his discovery to the local monastery and the Abbot found that he could sustain longer hours of prayer on the stuff.
Apparently, it quickly spread its way through African and Arabic cultures only to be deemed a "bitter invention of Satan" when it arrived in Europe. Pope Clement VIII in the early 17th century tasted this bitter brew and declared it OK for Christians to drink.
In Arabic culture, coffee houses are often called "schools of wisdom" for providing opportunities for communal entertainment (music and chess), conversation, and political discourse. Today, no faithful Muslim will be found drinking alcohol in a bar but they will be hanging out and enjoying conversation and community at their local coffee hang out.
So joining the long tradition of spirituality and wisdom making, here is my version of the morning mud:
After more than a week of searching out the best coffee in Bethlehem, which I must admit is served from Cloudette's dinning room table, I finally put my culinary skills to the test. I made my first cup of Turkish coffee!
I confess to being a long-time decaf coffee drinker due to a caffeine addiction that surfaced in seminary. For the sake of cultural engagement, I have discarded my non-caffeine rule and now enjoy quiet mornings here in Bethlehem with a demi-tasse cup of the caffeinated type.
Who knew that coffee was first discovered by an Ethiopian farmer named Kaldi who found that his goats got buzzed when they ate the berries from the coffee plant. He took his discovery to the local monastery and the Abbot found that he could sustain longer hours of prayer on the stuff.
Apparently, it quickly spread its way through African and Arabic cultures only to be deemed a "bitter invention of Satan" when it arrived in Europe. Pope Clement VIII in the early 17th century tasted this bitter brew and declared it OK for Christians to drink.
In Arabic culture, coffee houses are often called "schools of wisdom" for providing opportunities for communal entertainment (music and chess), conversation, and political discourse. Today, no faithful Muslim will be found drinking alcohol in a bar but they will be hanging out and enjoying conversation and community at their local coffee hang out.
So joining the long tradition of spirituality and wisdom making, here is my version of the morning mud:
Oh for Peet's sake, Debbie! Drink up!! Thanks for the little known history on coffee.
ReplyDeleteMiss seeing you on Sundays in Berkeley and hope you enjoy your special time in such a special place!
Peace to you, Paul Tiao
I think the cup makes it even more yummy-looking. (When you make turkish coffee for CM meetings, maybe you can provide an equally pretty pot of hot water for a certain committee member to dilute hers... tee-hee...)
ReplyDeleteI can smell it and wish that I was sharing a cup with you!
ReplyDelete