Coffee-My Daily Habit
As I sit at the mother ship Barnes & Noble Booksellers, I contemplate whether or not I should have a second cup of vanilla latte coffee. A second cup would assure I finish reading the 8th Chapter of Dave Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. With this thought, I remember a brief intro I wrote during my brief stint as a "Coffee Examiner" and decide to share with you readers, as I order my second cup :). Enjoy!
One of the earliest legends of the beloved coffee bean is
that of a young goat-herding Ethiopian named Kaldi, which also means hot in
ancient Arabic, who noticed his herd acting bizarre after eating berrylike
beans from a nearby bush. With a deep desire to understand this odd occurrence
of his goat’s behavior, he too, partook from the bush, consuming, eating, and
possibly chewing what would centuries later become America’s favorite daily
habit-coffee.
It didn’t take long for Kaldi to discover the benefits of
coffee and legend has it that after the jolt of energy he experienced Kaldi
shared this new discovery with nearby monks. The monks began boiling the beans
and drinking it. Eventually they shared it with others, whom shared it with
more and eventually coffee made its way into the households and hands of
millions of Americans.
Of those millions, a slew of coffee loving Americans abide
here in Fresno. Coffee is a core factor
in the daily lives of local Fresno residents, myself being one of them. Just
like larger metropolitan cities in California, coffeehouses with outside patio
seating line the streets and shopping plaza’s in many areas throughout Fresno
and with it carry the scent of freshly brewed coffee beans into the hearts of
many.
Regardless, of the location or the way one prefers to
consume the drink, the fragrant bean is a staple guaranteed to stay. It may
have had humble beginnings but now has worldwide recognition; it may have begun
as a hot drink but now it is also favored cold as well. Although, the coffee
bean has had its share of change one thing is certain- the legend of Kaldi and
his perky find has too, become for most people of Fresno a daily habit.
Written By Francine Ramos-McMillon
