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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Civet Coffee: or, Basil this tastes like crap...

Where is the most expensive coffee in the world from? Ethiopia? No. How about Hawaii, I hear they make a good cup? Nope. I know, I know, it must be from Guatemala, right? Again, no it is not from Guatemala. The most coveted, expensive, high-brow coffee bean in the world comes... out of a small cat-like mammal's ass.

Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the Asian palm civet, or Luwak as it is called in Malaysia where the precious coffee beans are harvested. This animal ingests the coffee beans as a by-product of consuming the fruit surrounding it. The bean is then processed by the animal and deposited. Then, workers collect, wash, dry, and roast the beans before they are packaged and shipped out.

Let that percolate. This animal eats the fruits, digests the beans, then workers follow them picking beans out of the crap. Never mind that they are all cleaned before packaging, you are still purchasing crap.

Sure, coffee connoisseurs argue that this produces the richest, smoothest coffee on the planet but the fact of the matter is you're drinking crap. I don't see many people looking in Mr. Mitten's litter box for pre-digested delectables. Frankly my ideal morning does not involve following an animal around waiting for it to squeeze out a fresh cup of joe, but that's just me.

Still, if you feel the urge to experience all the rare foods of the world stick this on the list between Bengal burgers and dolphin danishes. Oh, and follow the link for purchasing information.

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