Traces the origins of this tasty drink from Ethiopia over 1,000 years
ago to the espresso-fueled explosion of specialty coffee stores like
Starbucks today. Along the way, we'll see how American companies like
Hills Brothers, Maxwell House, Folgers and MJBgrew to be giants.
Discover how billions of coffee beans make their journey from coffee
farms and plantations, and are processed in gigantic roasting and
packaging plants before showing up in coffee cups all over the world.
Details the invention and production of instant coffee, decaffeinated
coffee and freeze-dried coffee, and the espresso machine. Also, we
explain how coffee made shift work in factories possible, while
coffeehouses provided a creative cauldron that brewed political and
artistic progress in the 18th and 19th centuries. And, we also provide
tips on how to make a better cup at home!