Skin Therapy

Coffee is great for the skin. In some countries it is a common thing to take baths in coffee and hot water mixed together. It might also not be too uncommon to have big pools full of coffee where the person takes off the main parts of clothing and gets in. Once they are in the pool they have someone rake the coffee beans onto their body. It makes the skin smoother, helps heal wounds, and it puts that person in their own oasis. It is very rejuvenating!

Coffee is a Luxury

It was the early 1660s and the Dutch were shipping their first shipment of beans into Europe. They were arriving by way of boat. Some diplomats and business people might have heard of the drink and might have already brought a small bag of coffee back with them from the little voyages that they had been on. Coffee merchants would purchase coffee from the ships that came into sea (which the price of the coffee would be up to the ship master and was ever getting higher on each trip). Then, they would walk the streets in specific areas with the coffee in order to find the highest bidder by the end of that day.
                               That bidder must have been really satisfied with the coffee because he definitely had spent the money for it.

Coffee Houses

The first two coffee houses were set up in the year 1554 in Constantinople. These coffee houses were very nicely furnished with couches, beautiful carpets, luxurious cushions, and amazing decorations. It had a storm of people from the start which consisted of the rich, studious, cheese lovers, and proud. They were always crowded. There is a dispute about whether all levels of society went to it or not.  Many law professors, science professors, and students would go to coffee houses to celebrate graduations and in order to network to find a job.
       There was always something to watch at coffee houses. Some of the entertainment includes, but is not limited to: poets, story tellers, singers, dancers, instrumentalists, and professional performers. 

What was coffee originally used for?

"Coffee" as some may call it was not always used as a drink. In the early times coffee was prescribed by physicians and used in different religious ceremonies. It was used to treat lots of different ailments and was prescribed to drink as hot as it can be by little spoonfuls. The different ailments that it was prescribed for include, but are not limited to:

1. kidney stones
2. gout
3. smallpox
4. measles
5. coughs
6. to stop menstrual courses
7. the pain of menstrual courses
8. headaches
9. and many more.... 

Coffee drinking was offered to the monks in order that they need not to drink alcoholic beverages. Then, they would drink it after the different ceremonies (or when it got loud in the different mosques). First, the monks would drink the coffee, but the monks soon had their fill. Then, the Imam would offer it to the others who had been there at that time. The others quickly took a liking  to this and they spread the word from mosque to mosque.


I will keep on posting about the background of Coffee, but here is a cool book to check out THE WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COFFEE by: Mary Banks, Christine McFadden, and Catherine Atkinson

Check this out.....

There are lots of myths and mysteries about who invented coffee, how the coffee bean was discovered, and when exactly it was discovered. Some of the Biblical scholars believe that coffee can be traced back to the time when the Old Testament was written and might believe that it was the "parched corn" that David was given by Abigail. While the Muslims might believe that the Angel named Gabriel set them up because of a thing they call "providence" and taught them about it and how to prepare it. On the other hand, some believe that Arab slave traders brought coffee back with them from Ethiopia.

Any way you look at it you can realize that coffee has some kind of a mystique nature to it.

Where does Coffee come from?

It comes from the tropical and subtropical regions from around the world. It comes from an evergreen tree or shrub. The trees produce wonderful scents that almost smell like jasmine. There are fruit on the plant called "cherries." When someone opens up one of these fruits they find 2 coffee beans. Approximately 2000 beans are needed to produce 1/2pound of coffee.

Wow! Coffee is amazing!

Enjoy your coffee for all it's worth!

Playdough

Here is a great recipe for coffee playdough. I have used this recipe with my preschoolers before and they loved it. Matter of fact.... they always loved to try different playdough recipes. They always found it interesting and loved how experimenting can lead to great things. If you live close to a Starbucks coffee shop, they give used coffee grounds away and would even collect them for you. If you don't live close to a Starbucks, you might be able to ask your local coffee shop or gas station for their used coffee grounds. in order to dry them you can put them on a paper towel and either lay them out in the sun or put them in a pan smoosh a paper towel against them to get out the extra water. Then, put it on top of a heater for a couple of hours (be careful for the pan can get pretty hot this way.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 cups dryed coffee grounds
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• liquid food coloring
• warm water

1. Mix the salt, coffee grounds, and cornmeal together.
2. Divide it into 4 even parts.
3. Slowly add warm water and a different food coloring color to each part (The kids loved helping with this part.)
4. Knead until dough forms.
5. Enjoy your coffee smelling playdough.

Don't worry if it's too wet just put a little bit more cornmeal in. Also, don't worry about it ruining your clothes the cornmeal absorbs the coffee grounds.

Enjoy!

Dried Cherry, Chocolate Chip, and Walnut Coffee Cake

Here is a great recipe that I made yesterday and it tasted wonderful. I felt like it has all of the fixins right in it. It was absolutely wonderful. You can substitute the dried cherries, chocolate chips, and walnuts for many more things such as dried peached, dried cranberries, raisins, mini M & M's (kids love the rainbow look, but sprinkle them over the top after baking the dish for 15 minutes), and chopped peanuts. It makes about 9 servings.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups brown sugar(I used a little more than this)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cups butter, margarine, or shortening
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 beaten egg
• 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup walnuts

Grease bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch square pan. In a medium bowl mix brown sugar, salt, and flour. cut up butter and mix it in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1/4 cup of this. Measure the baking powder and mix it in. Mix in the cinnamon and nutmeg into remaining crumb mixture.

In a shallow bowl mix eggs and buttermilk and add to flour mixture. Mix in dried cherries and 1/2 of the chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into greased dish. Combine reserved crumb mixture, walnuts, and the other half of chocolate chips. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake in a 350degree over for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Serve warm with some fresh coffee.

Enjoy!

Morning Has Broken

Morning has broken

like a new morning

and the blackbird has spoken.

So, you hear a ring

and you pick it up.

It was your boss

wondering what is up.

You say "sorry" I just had to roll and toss.

The boss says ok just get here soon.

It is a quarter after the moon.



Here is an awesome recipe for Chocolate-Mint Dessert Coffee

This recipe is great if you are of the age and want a little something to spruce up your coffee drinking. This recipe came out of the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.

• 2/3 cup hot strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon chocolate-mint liqueur
• Whipped Cream
• Ground Cinnamon or Nutmeg(optional)

Stir together hot coffee and chocolate mint liqueur. If desired, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg(optional).

You might even want to drizzle some chocolate syrup on top.

Espresso Anybody?

Here is a wonderful recipe for Espresso. It came out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

• 1 cup cold water
• 1/3 cup French roast or espresso roast coffee that is ground

Using a drip coffeemaker, add the water and roast coffee, ground as directed for your coffeemaker. Brew according to manufacturer's directions. Pour into small cups. Serve with sugar cubes or coarse sugar.

This should do the trick for you if you want something cold to brighten up your day.

Coffee

It's the drink we call coffee

that makes us feel at sea.

It is not tea.

It might be the drink for Nancy

or maybe even Marie.

It is the drink for me.

This Morning

This morning I woke up and smelled the wonderful aroma of coffee coming from my Kitchen. I walked over to it to find out that my husband had made his first pot of coffee for the day. He looked at me and took his first drink of coffee. He sipped it, looked back up at me, and paced the word "ahhhh....." It was like he was saying it will all be alright thanks to this wonderful drink we call "coffee."

My friends take that first drink of coffee with enthusiasm and know that today is the day to make things happen.

Kava

Joy of Coffee

Coffee is a wonderful drink.

It is not pink.

Coffee is brown

Just like the soil

That is down.

It is cooked with a boil

Coffee is a hot beverage

In the morning, it might help you say bon voyage.

Another word for coffee is café

But still the Spanish speakers say el café.

It is made out of a coffee bean

Coffee is warm like a mother’s milk

Or even your milk when you were just wean.

It stimulates the mind

It might help you be kind.

A cup of coffee makes someone rejoice

And helps clear your voice.

Someone might say it’s their “Cup of Joe”

While another person might drink three cups in a row.

A coffee cup is round

Just like the earth and its limits that are unbound.

It has a sweet aromatic and acidic smell to it

That just makes someone want to grab it and sit.

Morning

Morning

Mornings are great times

for a little bit of beat and rhymes.

First, you get up

then you might wonder where is your pup.

Next, you make yourself a pot of coffee

Then, you might get yourself some omega-3.

At that very moment, you put on some makeup

and someone else wakes up.

So, you talk to them

and you decide that you are going to carpe diem.

My Blog

This is a blog by a poem writer, editor, children lover, and someone who really loves the smell of coffee in the morning. If anyone would like to add to my blog feel free. Feel free to tell me about yourself, your thoughts, what your favorite coffee is and more. Feel free to even write your own poem here.