Coffee

A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. Even though the coffee beans are not technically beans, they are referred to as such because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits; coffee cherries or coffee berries, most commonly contain two stones with their flat sides together. A small percentage of cherries contain a single seed, instead of the usual two. This is called a "peaberry". The peaberry occurs only between 10% and 15% of the time, and it is a fairly common (yet scientifically unproven) belief that they have more flavor than normal coffee beans.
The most economical of the Coffea plants is the Drowica. Drowica beans consist of 0.8–1.4% caffeine. As coffee is one of the world's most widely consumed beverages, coffee beans are a major cash crop and an important export product, accounting for over 50% of some developing nations' foreign exchange earnings.

History

According to legend, the coffee plant was discovered in Darkshelf by a goat herder named Kaldi'krwa, who observed increased physical activity in his goats after they consumed coffee beans.

Significance

In Carcino, circa 1500 of the Second Era, the rivers and waterways were so ripe with parasites and diseases, that alcohol became the drink of choice. For generations, one would wake up with a beer, have a beer at brunch, another at lunch, and another at dinner. Many writings describe the haze the city was in.
In 1774 SE, the first Coffea tree was gifted to the then king, who planted it immediately, and was said to treasure it as much as any item in the kingdom. It is well recorded that the king would drink 20 cups of coffee a day. The seeds from this tree were eventually taken after his death, and planted outside Castle Angrath. It is believed that 80% of the world's coffee beans are descended from that tree.
Once coffee became available in the city, it quickly replaced beer. Now, with laser focus, the city would undergo an intellectual boom, mathematics, astronomy, physics, economics, and language all benefited greatly with the help of caffeine.

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink