Today’s wonder of the world is something I am personally in awe of.  On a regular basis it provides me with sustenance, fortification, comfort and pleasure.  I speak of one of my great loves of this life, an amazing wonder of the world – Coffee!

Yes, I acknowledge that coffee is not for everyone – but even most non-coffee drinkers I know (like my mother) appreciate its heady aroma.

Coffee is not just a beverage that can be consumed hot, cold, or outright frozen – it is a wonder for all six senses.  It provides something on every level.

Let’s start with the obvious two – taste and smell.  The aroma of fresh coffee beans is intoxicating, rich and bold, with notes of smoke and cocoa and comfort.  Coffee beans, in fact, are a good source or palate cleansing.  For example, if you are taking a sniff of multiple scents of perfumes and candles and such, taking a whiff of the coffee beans will clear your nose and allow you to maintain sensitivity.

And the taste varies widely depending on the lightness or darkness of the blend, what type of bean or beans are used, fresh ground versus instant, regular versus espresso.  But coffee has such a unique texture, it can roll across the tongue and awaken the taste buds to other accents and flavors, and is an excellent carrier for cream and sugar, chocolate, caramel, mint, berries – you name it.  Coffee can be readily blended with any number of other flavors.

So that’s just the tip of the iceberg for taste and smell.  Touch?  When the caffeine of a good cup of coffee hits the blood stream, you are more awake, your head is clearer, and you get an energy boost.  On a cold winter day a hot cup of java will warm you body and soul, while on a hot summer day a coffee ice cream will cool you down and refresh you.  The beans themselves are crisp to the touch, solid but fragile, and the ground coffee can be an excellent ingredient for an exfoliant scrub.

Sound?  The dripping of the coffee into the pot builds your anticipation for the excellent beverage you are preparing to drink.  The grinding of the beans provides a satisfying sensation as you anticipate preparation of your brew.  Also, if you need to release some pent-up frustration, you can imagine its source being finely powdered amongst the beans.  Lastly – there is that satisfied sigh a coffee connoisseur makes as they taste the fruits of their or their barrista’s labor.

Sight?  People are going to great trouble at coffee houses around the world making amazing decorations in foam atop coffee drinks.  But beyond such flights of fancy, there is something comforting in the dark brown liquid in your mug, and all the colors it takes as you add creamer or milk or even water to it.  As you gaze into your cup you might see yourself and your surroundings reflected back at you.  And seeing that full pot of coffee when you get to work you know that it is there for you, waiting to be savored and enjoyed.

As to the sixth senses – coffee can induce a sense of wellness and heightened awareness through all the other senses, making us more receptive to our intuition and energies.  I cannot think of any other beverage (save tea, perhaps) that has this kind of power, this depth of character, this ability to awaken, relax, inspire, warm or cool.

Yes, there is something to be said for beer, wine, scotch and many other beverages – and I am a fan of all of these, too.  But society accepts that coffee can be consumed at any time of the day or night (unlike these alcoholic beverages – and I am sure that argument can be made, but we aren’t all college students), and it can be appreciated on every level I can think of.

Perhaps you disagree with me.  Perhaps, you might think I have an addiction to this beverage, and rather biased as such.  But I can still make the argument that coffee truly is a wonder of our wondrous world!

How do you take yours?

 

 

I am MJ Blehart, coffee-loving composer of “Wednesday’s Wondrous World”.  Every week I share a wonder of this amazing world, and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me!

Check out my blog, The Ramblings of a Titanium Don, for more of my work.

Also now available, Pathwalking: A 21st Century Philosophy in Book and Kindle form!