The Rise and Fall of Empires, as told by Coffee

Stumbled across this old treasure from ages ago. In an amusing and surprising essay, Josef Joffe traces the discovery of quality coffee to the downfall of empires. History in a Hazelnut Shell

"There is a reason why the great empires of yore have gone under when confronted with a Melior full of freshly brewed Kenyan Blue. Either you tend to your gold-plated Gaggia or to your F-16. You don't fight with a frappuchino in hand. And as you admire that gentle dollop of steamed milk in your macchiato, what will you think about: the ''halls of Montezuma'' or the beaches of Cozumel?"


P.S. Despite that it might have caused the fall of the Habsburgs, I could use a good Melange right about now.