Day 8: World of Caffeine I
Friday, May 3, 2013
7:30 am
Book Report on “The World of Caffeine”: Coffee, tea and chocolate all converged on Europe in the 1600s. The world would never be the same!
Video Summary:
Still no withdrawal symptoms.
Heart beating a little fast but probably nothing.
Strategy tip: order tea instead of coffee and make it weak to blend in to caffeine culture.
Picked up new book at library: “Starbucked”, story of Starbucks which has become second largest food retailer in the world.
“World of Caffeine” review: Yesterday I went over origins of three main caffeine drinks. Today I’ll discuss how Europeans countries dealt with influx of coffee, tea and chocolate. Each country had a unique response. Did monarch like it, did Pope like it, did it compete with beer and wine businesses, who would profit? Medical establishment was not sure how to deal with it. Medical establishment was pretty backward at the time. Was caffeine a food, a medicine, or a poison? Caffeine eventually won out, and it became generally accepted everywhere.
Next section on social and cultural elements: Coffeehouses and teahouses.
Authors thesis: coffee jolted Europe into action and was welcome replacement to culture of beer and wine. With introduction of accurate timepieces, allowed people to get up, and be on time, in new industrial age. Was a net positive for an overly alcoholic Europe at the time, according to the authors.
May focus on book reports in future videos.