Bizarre Coffee Facts

Advertisements for coffee in London in 1657 claimed that the
beverage was a cure for scurvy, gout and other ills.

In Italy, espresso is considered so essential to daily life
that the price is regulated by the government.

In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their
husbands if the man failed to keep his family's pot filled
with coffee.

Large doses of coffee can be lethal. Ten grams, or 100 cups
over 4 hours, can kill the average human.

Milk as an additive to coffee became popular in the 1680's,
when a French physician recommended that cafe au lait be
used for medicinal purposes.

Raw coffee beans, soaked in water and spices, are chewed
like candy in many parts of Africa.

The average cup of coffee contains more than 1000 different
chemical components, none of which is tasted in isolation
but only as part of the overall flavor.

Until the 18th century coffee was almost always boiled.

When a coffee seed is planted, it takes five years to yield
consumable fruit."