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'Coffee was first drunk by nomadic Arab tribes
in ancient Arabia who called it 'Gahwah'. Later in the
Spice Islands of the far east, Coffee was called 'Java'
and when early Portuguese explorers first came across it
they called it 'café'. Over the centuries, coffee
drinking has spread all over the world, enjoyed in
social gatherings everywhere. So much so, that the old
Portuguese name for coffee - 'café' - has come to
mean a meeting place or 'Cafe' in all languages.
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The Synergy
of Coffee with Chocolate
Why do we finish off a dinner
party or a meal in a restaurant with Coffee and Chocolate?
The obvious synergy of Coffee
and Chocolate with human social gatherings is more complex than
than you might think, smell and taste obviously play a part but
it goes deeper than that. Take the dinner party scenario, it's
late, we are feeling the effects of the food and wine, the
natural tendency of our bodies is to wind down, we feel relaxed,
lethargic and drowsy. But, along come the coffee and chocolates
and in a very short time people become more alert and animated,
but still relaxed, almost euphoric in fact. The reasons for
this seemingly contradictory change in behaviour lie in the
natural chemical compositions of both coffee and chocolate.
Coffee is easy to explain, most
people know Coffee contains substantial amounts of caffeine
which is a natural stimulant, quite harsh in it's effects so,
you would expect it to wake you up. But keep you relaxed and
euphoric at the same time?
Chocolate on the other hand has
some real surprises up it's sleeve. It's a very complex food
which besides a miniscule amount of Caffeine, contains mood
changing substances called Phenylethylamine
and Seratonin,
both of which are also
found in the human brain. Phenylethylamine and Seratonin
are released into the system by the brain when feelings of
physical attraction such as love, lust or passion are present,
causing a rise in blood pressure and increased heart rate,
inducing that feeling of euphoria and well being so familiar to
lovers. Eating Chocolate has the same effect, because it also
releases Phenylethylamine and Seratonin
into the system, actually inducing those same 'lovers' feelings
of well being, euphoria and of passion or being in love!
So you see, chocolate and coffee really
do have a complimentary effect on us, Caffeine in the Coffee
livens us up making us more alert and attentive while Chocolate
mellows the harsher effects of the Coffee with feelings of well
being and euphoria, actually mimicking the experience of
physical attraction and love.
This probably explains all that flirting
that goes on over the coffee and chocolates, well, that's my
excuse and I'm sticking to it!
Brewing
that perfect cup of gourmet coffee is not difficult either, just click here, How To Make Fine Coffee and follow the steps...
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selection is now online here: Christmas
Gifts and Presents
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