Article first published as Monks, Friars, and Coffee on Blogcritics.
Rumour has it that Marco d’Aviano, a friar from Capuchin order, has blessed the Christian troops before the battle of Vienna in 1863. After Ottoman Turkish troops suffered a huge defeat they left behind lots of coffee which the victorious troops found too bitter, so they made it sweeter using honey and milk. The drink was named cappuccino after the order of monks, to which d’Aviano belonged.
Capuchin friars got their name from the clothes they were wearing. Long hooded robe is called cappuccino, which is in turn derived from cappuccio, a hood. Italian espresso coffee mixed with milk or milk froth is called cappuccino because of the colour resemblance to Capuchin friars’ outfit.
Green is in
Some of the unforgettable references to coffee can be found in Hollywood movies. In The Bucket List Jack Nicholson is enjoying the best and most expensive coffee in the world. Later in the movie Morgan Freeman explains the arrogant Jack about the origin of special coffee aroma – it comes from excrement of an Indonesian mammal.
Grimes, coffee expert from the movie Black Hawk Down, is talking about his experience: “It’s all in the grind, Sizemore. Can’t be too fine, can’t be too coarse. This, my friend, is a science. I mean you’re looking at the guy that believed all the commercials. You know, about the “be all you can be.” I made coffee through Desert Storm. I made coffee through Panama while everyone else got to fight, got to be a Ranger.”
One of the latest references to coffee can be seen in The Green Hornet. Kato uses state of the art coffee machine to prepare the best cappuccino for his master Britt. The brilliant coffee that only Kato can make could be considered a trigger for Green Hornet’s heroic actions.
When talking about coffee we cannot pass by David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Coffee serves as an inspiration for special agent Cooper.
If you really want to know more about coffee watch again Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. If you don’t remember the scenes I sincerely recommend watching the movie again. You could be surprised about the new things you will learn about coffee.
I cannot skip the George Clooney commercial for Nespresso. “You are talking about Nespresso, right? Yeah. 😦 What else?”
Cappuccino, mochaccino, frappuccino
If you are a proud owner of an espresso machine here are a few ideas what to do with it. Make a delicious espresso, pour it into the bottom third of the cup and add the same amount of hot milk. The top third of the drink is actually firm milk froth. For an artistic impression you can sculpt the foam and sprinkle with chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon or even some hot chilli. You have just prepared the perfect cappuccino. Remember that traditionally the drink is consumed with a teaspoon.
For sweet inclined you can prepare mochaccino. The recipe is similar to cappuccino; just replace hot milk with hot chocolate milk. Ratio can be the same, but I prefer adding more chocolate milk. Remember to serve the drink in a transparent glass for an extra effect.
You don’t really have to go Starbucks to enjoy a frappuccino. Just add 2 parts of espresso, 1 part of ice cubes, and 1 part of milk together with some sugar to a blender. Blend for about a minute. Pour into a tall glass, top with whipped cream, and garnish with some chocolate syrup. Serve with a straw. You can also replace milk with chocolate milk or add some cocoa powder for some extra taste.
Why coffee is good for you?
Come on now
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
It’s time, smell the coffee, the coffee
If you like Cranberries you might have recognized the lyrics above. Waking up slowly, smelling the coffee in the air, you are like a zombie walking with your arms stretched in front of you until you reach the delicious cup waiting for you on the kitchen counter. Yummy!
Here are the main reasons why you should drink coffee. As for everything you do in your life, the same goes also for coffee drinking – drink in moderate quantities.
Coffee is rich in antioxidants. Drinking coffee will make you (look) younger. Coffee is a stimulant. It wakes you up and keeps you going. Also your brain will work faster. This brings us to the Alzheimer’s disease. Regular coffee consumption reduces chances of… wait, what was I talking about? 🙂
Inspired Daily 