The Daily Coffee Ritual - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli
Monday, June 13, 2022
What is it about coffee that makes it one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world? In 2020/2021, an astonishing number of 166+ million 60 kilogram (130 lbs.) bags of coffee were consumed worldwide. Americans are among those leading the way . . . over four hundred million cups (not counting Espresso or cold coffee drinks) per day! Four hundred million! No wonder there is a coffee depot on every corner. What is it that makes it so popular? Well, a lot of stuff.
Coffee drinking is an intricate and distinct experience; the rich aroma, and the comforting warmth, especially on a frosty winter day when cradling the cup makes it sensual. And though the initial bolt may seem bitter and leave an acid jolt, that’s often what we need in the early morning.
The bitterness is overshadowed by other, more delectable aspects, like the nutty aroma, a significant part of the flavor; the anticipation of that first fresh cup; the ritual of brewing coffee first thing in the morning, then sitting to sip, contemplate, plan your day as the aroma suffuses the house. And for those who frequent the coffee shop rather than making that cup at home, there is a triple rush; the rush to get through the line, grab that cup, the rush to get to your next stop, and lo, the caffeine rush; a circumnavigational ceremony.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhen I have had the luxury of relaxing in a European coffee shop, I watch the locals, who dip in, stand at the counter, motion the barista with a look and a tap, get the brew, give it a quick sip, and a fast gulp, drop the change, pivot and hustle out the door, the pace of hasty steps tapping in the distance. They have been jump-started by all of it, even more than just the caffeine.
How’s this for a statistic: Italian coffee consumption; fourteen billion (Yep) espresso coffees are consumed each year in Italy. Italians consume approximately 3.7 Kg (8+ lbs.) of coffee per capita.
And to tickle my brain a bit further, I read about Angelo Moriondo (June 1851 – May 1914), an Italian inventor, who is credited with patenting the earliest known espresso machine in 1884. His machine used a combination of steam and boiling water to brew the coffee. Moriondo came from an entrepreneurial family. His grandfather founded a liqueur producing company that was continued by his father Giacomo, who later founded the chocolate company “Moriondo and Gariglio,” with his brother Agostino and cousin Gariglio.
And my parents? My mother drank so much coffee every day that she was called Coffee Benny. I asked my Dad, who was not far behind in consumption, “Why Coffee Benny?” He mentioned something about a local business of the same name. Of that, I cannot be sure. Of the rivers of coffee, I am sure. Coffee was their ambrosia, a necessary, daily work, and social ritual; the number of cups is dammed.
A healthy drink? Dad lived to 84, Mom to 93.
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