An Ode to Coffee

Oh marvelous magic of the morning, oh energizing elixir of the evening! Coffee-where would my mind be without the percolated perk of your bidding? And my tongue would be forever bereft of you titillating taste had I never known of your glory.

Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, your beans grow; a beautiful red bounty, awaiting a roasting to awake the world. And around the world, a subtle worship of this yield, subtle but steady: a constant adoration since the formal discovery in the 9th century, a commitment that may exceed merely enjoying. How I need my cup in the morning. How the world would slow to a sleepy pace without the morning motivator; stock markets stagnant, commerce curbed, lips quiet and locked with lethargy.

Sure, there are a few of our species who exist without this symbiotic association. But even you tea drinkers and caffeine abstainers should know that this magical marvel still has its uses. Nothing enriches the delicate flavors in a chocolate cake like coffee. A spoonful of my friend coffee will turn any regular chocolate cake into a decadent wonder of flavor. The same can be said in the cases of many soups and sauces. What else could contribute such a unique, rich flavor? And coffee extends further than just it’s culinary contribution; the grounds of coffee have myriad uses in self care and beauty. Coffee is used in many products for it’s exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties. Some consider it the only thing that truly fights the bane of cellulite. Still not convinced that this beverage isn’t truly a potent potion? Naysayers should know that coffee drinkers have less risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and type 2 diabetes. The same studies have shown coffee to improve asthma control and reduce the effects of depression.

No wonder only water exceeds the consumption of this caffeinated concoction. The delightful, devine taste of coffee is grounds enough (pun intended) to love this classic beverage, but coffee offers endless reasons for reverence. Have your cold hands ever experienced a greater comfort than a hot cup of coffee to keep them warm company on a winter’s dawn?Who doesn’t love the buzz of being alert and focused as the caffeine maneuvers the bloodstream? And the aroma, a scent so intoxicating that a mere whiff of brewing coffee is enough to draw many from the rim of slumber and awake into the world.

So give me the bitter black, still rife with flavor, or a sumptuous treat made luxurious by cream and sugar. Give it to me French pressed, poured over, as a latte, an americano, on ice. Give it to me in a paper cup, a cracked mug. Give it to me in a bowl, and I will lap it up like a cat. As long as I have my coffee, all is right with the world.