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cof·fee /ˈkôfē,ˈkäfē/ | noun | The berries harvested from species of Coffea plants.
Everyone recognizes a roasted coffee bean, but you might not recognize an actual coffee plant.
Coffee trees are pruned short to conserve their energy and aid in harvesting, but can grow to more than 30 feet (9 meters) high. Each tree is covered with green, waxy leaves growing opposite each other in pairs. Coffee cherries grow along the branches. Because it grows in a continuous cycle, it’s not unusual to see flowers, green fruit and ripe fruit simultaneously on a single tree.
It takes nearly a year for a cherry to mature after first flowering, and about 5 years of growth to reach full fruit production. While coffee plants can live up to 100 years, they are generally the most productive between the ages of 7 and 20. Proper care can maintain and even increase their output over the years, depending on the variety. The average coffee tree produces 10 pounds of coffee cherry per year, or 2 pounds of green beans.
All commercially grown coffee is from a region of the world called the Coffee Belt. The trees grow best in rich soil, with mild temperatures, frequent rain and shaded sun.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in COFFEE.
☕️ 2. Read a book set in a location with mild temperatures.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a character between the ages of 7 - 20.
☕️ 4. Read a book with a mostly green cover. {Your discretion.}
Remember: Books may not be completed until April 1, 2024.
Prompt # / Name: 1: What Is Coffee?Book: No Vampire, No Happy Ending, Volume 1
Author: Shinya Shinya
Date Read: June 11 - June 13
Pages: 210
Task: Read a book with a character between the ages of 7 - 20.
How it Fits: The main character is 16 years old.
Mod
Coffee traces its origin to a genus of plants known as Coffea. Within the genus there are over 500 genera and 6,000 species of tropical trees and shrubs. Experts estimate that there are anywhere from 25 to 100 species of coffee plants.
The genus was first described in the 18th century by the Swedish botanist, Carolus Linneaus, who also described Coffea Arabica in his Species Plantarum in 1753. Botanists have disagreed ever since on the exact classification, since coffee plants can range widely. They can be small shrubs to tall trees, with leaves from one to 16 inches in size, and in colors from purple or yellow to the predominant dark green.
In the commercial coffee industry, there are two important coffee species — Arabica and Robusta.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with more than one species of characters.
☕️ 2. Read a book that is over 500 pages.
☕️ 3. Read a book that is between 25 - 100 pages, for this prompt only.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the author's first initial is found in CAROLUS and the last initial is found in LINNEAUS.
Prompt # / Name: 2A: Botanical ClassificationBook: The Little Prince
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Date Read: June 17, 2024
Pages: 100
Task: Read a book that is between 25 - 100 pages, for this prompt only.
How it Fits: The edition of this book was exactly 100 pages long.
Mod
Varieties: Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Mundo Novo, Tico, San Ramon, Jamaican Blue Mountain
Coffea Arabica is descended from the original coffee trees discovered in Ethiopia. These trees produce a fine, mild, aromatic coffee and represent approximately 70% of the world's coffee production. The beans are flatter and more elongated than Robusta and lower in caffeine.
On the world market, Arabica coffees bring the highest prices. The better Arabicas are high grown coffees — generally grown between 2,000 to 6,000 feet (610 to 1830 meters) above sea level — though optimal altitude varies with proximity to the equator.
The most important factor is that temperatures must remain mild, ideally between 59 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 60 inches of rainfall a year. The trees are hearty, but a heavy frost will kill them.
Arabica trees are costly to cultivate because the ideal terrain tends to be steep and access is difficult. Also, because the trees are more disease-prone than Robusta, they require additional care and attention.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in ARABICA.
☕️ 2. Read a book with between 59 - 75 chapters.
☕️ 3. Read a book where it rains at least once.
☕️ 4. Read a book with an MC that "requires additional care and attention." {Be creative.}
Prompt # / Name: 2B: Coffea Arabica — C. ArabicaBook: Cat Massage Therapy Vol. 2
Author: Haru Hisakawa
Date Read: June 20, 2024
Pages: 138
Task: Read a book where the title starts with a letter in ARABICA.
How it Fits: The title starts with a C.
Mod
Variety: Robusta
Most of the world's Robusta is grown in Central and Western Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Vietnam, and in Brazil. Production of Robusta is increasing, though it accounts for only about 30% of the world market.
Robusta is primarily used in blends and for instant coffees. The Robusta bean itself tends to be slightly rounder and smaller than an Arabica bean.
The Robusta tree is heartier and more resistant to disease and parasites, which makes it easier and cheaper to cultivate. It also has the advantage of being able to withstand warmer climates, preferring constant temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which enables it to grow at far lower altitudes than Arabica.
It requires about 60 inches of rainfall a year, and cannot withstand frost. Compared with Arabica, Robusta beans produce a coffee which has a distinctive taste and about 50-60% more caffeine.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in ROBUSTA.
☕️ 2. Read a book with something round and/or small on the cover. {Your discretion.}
☕️ 3. Read a book where a character consumes a drink that contains caffeine. {coffee, cola, etc.}
☕️ 4. Read a book set in one of these places: "Central and Western Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Vietnam, and in Brazil."
Prompt # / Name: 2C: Coffea canephora — C. canephora var. RobustaBook: Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible, Vol. 2
Author: Nene Yukimori
Date Read: June 22, 2024
Pages: 160
Task: Read a book where a character consumes a drink that contains caffeine. {coffee, cola, etc.}
How it Fits: The FL had a matcha latte on page 43 of the ebook.
Mod
The beans you brew are actually the processed and roasted seeds from a fruit, which is called a coffee cherry.
The coffee cherry's outer skin is called the exocarp. Beneath it is the mesocarp, a thin layer of pulp, followed by a slimy layer called the parenchyma. The beans themselves are covered in a paper-like envelope named the endocarp, more commonly referred to as the parchment.
Inside the parchment, side-by-side, lie two beans, each covered separately by yet another thin membrane. The biological name for this seed skin is the spermoderm, but it is generally referred to in the coffee trade as the silver skin.
In about 5% of the world's coffee, there is only one bean inside the cherry. This is called a peaberry (or a caracol, or "snail" in Spanish), and it is a natural mutation. Some people believe that peaberries are actually sweeter and more flavorful than standard beans, so they are sometimes manually sorted out for special sale.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with the word CHERRY found in the text.
☕️ 2. Read a book with a 5 in the page count.
☕️ 3. Read a book you thought was sweet in some way.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in PARCHMENT.
Prompt # / Name: 3: The Anatomy of a Coffee CherryBook: Cat + Gamer, Volume 2
Author: Wataru Nadatani
Date Read: June 27, 2024
Pages: 172
Task: Read a book you thought was sweet in some way.
How it Fits: The love the main character have for her new cat is really sweet.
Mod
No one knows exactly how or when coffee was discovered, though there are many legends about its origin. Let's look at several of them.
Coffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage back centuries to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. There, legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered the potential of these beloved beans.
The story goes that that Kaldi discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night.
Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the berries and found that it kept him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread.
As word moved east and coffee reached the Arabian peninsula, it began a journey which would bring these beans across the globe.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book about an urban legend.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the title/subtitle has all the letters of K-A-L-D-I in it.
☕️ 3. Read a book where a discovery is made.
☕️ 4. Read a book with any farm animal on the cover.
Prompt # / Name: 4A: Origins - An Ethiopian LegendBook: The Summer Getaway
Author: Susan Mallery
Date Read: June 20 - July 2
Pages: 416
Task: Read a book where a discovery is made.
How it Fits: Robyn found a Picasso in the laundry room.
Mod
Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula. By the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia and by the 16th century it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.
Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffee houses — called qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in cities across the Near East. The popularity of the coffee houses was unequaled and people frequented them for all kinds of social activity.
Not only did the patrons drink coffee and engage in conversation, but they also listened to music, watched performers, played chess and kept current on the news. Coffee houses quickly became such an important center for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.”
With thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, knowledge of this “wine of Araby” began to spread.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where chess or another board game is played.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the MC goes to a social activity.
☕️ 3. Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title starts with a letter found in SCHOOLS OF THE WISE. {3-word minimum}
☕️ 4. Read a book with a word(s) in the text that you aren't familiar with, like qahveh khaneh.
Prompt # / Name: 4B: Origins - The Arabian PeninsulaBook: Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible, Vol. 3
Author: Nene Yukimori
Date Read: July 6-7
Pages: 169
Task: Read a book where the MC goes to a social activity.
How it Fits: The female main character goes to a sleepover with her two best friends.
Mod
European travelers to the Near East brought back stories of an unusual dark black beverage. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent.
Some people reacted to this new beverage with suspicion or fear, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan.” The local clergy condemned coffee when it came to Venice in 1615. The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. He decided to taste the beverage for himself before making a decision, and found the drink so satisfying that he gave it papal approval.
Despite such controversy, coffee houses were quickly becoming centers of social activity and communication in the major cities of England, Austria, France, Germany and Holland. In England “penny universities” sprang up, so called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation.
Coffee began to replace the common breakfast drink beverages of the time — beer and wine. Those who drank coffee instead of alcohol began the day alert and energized, and not surprisingly, the quality of their work was greatly improved. (We like to think of this a precursor to the modern office coffee service.)
By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London, many of which attracted like-minded patrons, including merchants, shippers, brokers and artists.
Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd's of London, for example, came into existence at the Edward Lloyd's Coffee House.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with someone dressed in red on the cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book with a devil of a character in it.
☕️ 3. Read a book with the word PENNY found in the text.
☕️ 4. Read a book with over 300 pages.
Prompt # / Name: 4C: Origins - Coffee Comes to EuropeBook: The Night Before
Author: Wendy Walker
Date Read: August 5-9
Pages: 310
Task: Read a book with over 300 pages.
How it Fits: The book is 310 pages long.
Mod
In the mid-1600's, coffee was brought to New Amsterdam, later called New York by the British.
Though coffee houses rapidly began to appear, tea continued to be the favored drink in the New World until 1773, when the colonists revolted against a heavy tax on tea imposed by King George III. The revolt, known as the Boston Tea Party, would forever change the American drinking preference to coffee.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book set in New York or Boston.
☕️ 2. Read a book with an MPG of HISTORICAL OR HISTORICAL FICTION.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a royal character.
☕️ 4. Read a book with at least 2 numbers of 1773 in the publication date.
Prompt # / Name: 4D: Origins - The New WorldBook: The Travelling Cat Chronicles
Author: Hiro Arikawa
Date Read: August 10-20
Pages: 327
Task: Read a book with at least 2 numbers of 1773 in the publication date.
How it Fits: First published 11/7/2018
Mod
As demand for the beverage continued to spread, there was fierce competition to cultivate coffee outside of Arabia.
The Dutch finally got seedlings in the latter half of the 17th century. Their first attempts to plant them in India failed, but they were successful with their efforts in Batavia, on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia.
The plants thrived and soon the Dutch had a productive and growing trade in coffee. They then expanded the cultivation of coffee trees to the islands of Sumatra and Celebes.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with the word FIERCE found in the text.
☕️ 2. Read a book set in India.
☕️ 3. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in DUTCH.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is NOT found in BATAVIA.
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Travelling Cat Chronicles (other topics)The Night Before (other topics)
Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible, Vol. 3 (other topics)
The Summer Getaway (other topics)
Cat + Gamer Volume 2 (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Hiro Arikawa (other topics)Wendy Walker (other topics)
Nene Yukimori (other topics)
Susan Mallery (other topics)
Wataru Nadatani (other topics)
More...
The Best Part of Waking Up...
Individual, Self-Pace Challenge
April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2026
Whether you sang, "Folgers in your cup," or another brand, many people would agree that the best part of waking up is a fresh hot, cold brewed, or iced cup of coffee. In this challenge we will look at all things coffee-related. We'll even finish up by taking a look at some delicious recipes for various types of coffee. You'll have lots of time to complete this venti-sized, individual, self-paced challenge. That's right. The Best Part of Waking Up... will brew from April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2026!
This is an individual, self-paced challenge. You will have 4 tasks to choose from for each prompt. You only need to complete one to move on to the next prompt.
Each time you satisfy a task, make a post here In YOUR OWN THREAD. Please use the following example for your Completion Post.
Prompt # / Name:
Book:
Author:
Date Read:
Pages:
Task:
How it Fits:
If you have any questions about this challenge, please post them in the Coffee Bar: Q&A Thread.
Challenge Rules:
☕️ Standard Rules Apply
☕️ I will create an individual thread for you prior to the start date.
☕️ Your first prompt will be posted on March 31, 2024.
☕️ Books must be completed after the task has been posted.
{Source: ncausa.org}
☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️
Free Coffee Passes
Stuck on a task? It just seems too difficult? You have 3 Free Coffee Passes to use throughout this challenge. Use them wisely!