A COMPARISON OF AMERICAN AND VIETNAMESE COFFEE CULTURE

Culture plays a vital role in the existence of a nation and builds up the national identity. Every society has a different culture where people share different languages traditions, habits and so on. Culture give people an identity which makes them unique and different from people of other cultures. However, the terms of culture are varied in each nation and may include many aspects. Coffee culture is also very interesting part of culture. This study therefore aims to research about American and Vietnamese coffee culture as well as to find out the similarities and differences between coffee cultures in two countries. To complete this study, the researcher collects information from many reliable sources. As the result, the researcher finds that there are two similarities between two coffee cultures. The first one is the similarity in the purpose to enjoy coffee. The second one is the similarity in time to drink coffee. Besides, the researcher also works out the three main differences between American and Vietnamese coffee cultures. The first one is the difference in types of coffee. The second one is the difference in the art of making a cup of coffee. And the last one is the difference in style to enjoy coffee. The researcher believes that the findings of the study would help all of the English learners get more information and knowledge about the American and Vietnamese coffee culture. Hopefully, it would be a helpful material for cultural lovers who wish to discover more about the American and Vietnamese culture.

PHU THO PEOPLE COMMITTEE HUNG VUONG UNIVERSITY

A COMPARISON OF AMERICAN AND VIETNAMESE

COFFEE CULTURE (So sánh về văn hóa cà phê của người Mỹ và người Việt Nam)

B.A Graduation Paper

Field: Culture study

PHU THO - 2014

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mrs.Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, my supervisor This study could not have probablycompleted without her enthusiastic supervision and encouragement

I owe special thanks to all lectures in the Foreign Language Department

at Hung Vuong University for tirelessly devoting time and efforts to enrich,broaden and deepen my knowledge during my four years at school so that today,

I can finish my graduation paper My special thanks go to the Foreign LanguageDepartment of Hung Vuong University for giving me the opportunity andpermission to implement this study

I also would like to show my special thanks to my classmates at K8English class, who have supported, cooperated and provided me with valuablesuggestions

Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to my family for their love, greathelp and care

Culture plays a vital role in the existence of a nation and builds up thenational identity Every society has a different culture where people sharedifferent languages traditions, habits and so on Culture give people an identitywhich makes them unique and different from people of other cultures However,the terms of culture are varied in each nation and may include many aspects.Coffee culture is also very interesting part of culture

This study therefore aims to research about American and Vietnamesecoffee culture as well as to find out the similarities and differences betweencoffee cultures in two countries

To complete this study, the researcher collects information from manyreliable sources As the result, the researcher finds that there are two similaritiesbetween two coffee cultures The first one is the similarity in the purpose toenjoy coffee The second one is the similarity in time to drink coffee

Besides, the researcher also works out the three main differences betweenAmerican and Vietnamese coffee cultures The first one is the difference in types

of coffee The second one is the difference in the art of making a cup of coffee.And the last one is the difference in style to enjoy coffee

The researcher believes that the findings of the study would help all of theEnglish learners get more information and knowledge about the American andVietnamese coffee culture Hopefully, it would be a helpful material for culturallovers who wish to discover more about the American and Vietnamese culture

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of contents

PART A: INTRODUCTION

2 Previous research 2

3 Research purposes 3

4 Research questions 3

5 Methodology 3

6 Significance of the study 4

7 Scope of the study 4

PART B: MAJOR CONTENT

Chapter 2: The study on American and Vietnamese coffee culture 25

2.1.1 The history of American coffee culture 25

2.1.3 The art of making a cup of coffee in America 26

2.2.1 The history of Vietnamese coffee culture 27

2.2.3 The art of making a cup of coffee in Vietnam 292.2.4 The style to enjoy coffee of Vietnamese 30

Chapter 3: A comparison on American and Vietnamese coffee

culture

36

3.3 The reasons of similarities and differences 41

PART C: CONCLUSION

2 Implications 44

PART A: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

In the context of globalization throughout the world, culture is considered

as the most vital factor for each nation It decides the existence of a nation andbuilds up the national identity Whatever it is a developed country or developingcountry, we can not deny the importance of culture

Each society has its own culture which is unique and different from othercultures However, the term of culture is diversified and may include manyaspects Drinking art is also a very exciting part of culture

Coffee has been drunk for pleasure and health for thousands years Overthe recent years, coffee has become the beverage of choice around the globe, and

is now the most popular beverages worldwide, next to water! However, coffeemaking and drinking is not just a personal or in the same way in the world Itsculture brings unique identity of each nation For example, people in some areas

of Africa like drinking coffee with the mint while the Arabs are keen on coffeemixed with chicory to create strange smell Differing from other parts in theworld, Italians fancy drinking espresso with sugar while it is coffee with hotchocolate for German and Swiss people Unique customs also exist in Mexico –coffee with lemon juice and in the Middle East countries- coffee usually addedcardamom seeds and pepper

In Vietnam, coffee had just become popular for more than 100 years Firstcoffee plantations on the stretch shaped the letter S also dated from 1888 AndVietnam now becomes the second’s largest coffee producer and exporter of theworld Coffee drinking habits deeply rooted in the life of many Vietnamesepeople, and the coffee houses appeared in all corners and streets It is considered

as the distinguished drinking culture after tea culture In America, it is estimatedthat 80% of the population drinks coffee and almost half drinks it everyday.Americans use coffee entirely depending on their own taste They drinkcomfortably Wherever at home, school, a public place or anytime, people cansmell the distinct aroma of coffee

But like many people in other countries, American and Vietnamese alsohave coffee cultures in their own ways However, American coffee culture andVietnamese one may have some similarities and differences about types ofcoffee, coffee making and coffee enjoying More importantly, not many peopleknow about these similarities and differences Even American or Vietnamesemay not know and understand what the unique features about coffee culturetheir countries have and what their origins are

Therefore, American and Vietnamese coffee culture contrasting andcomparison can be a good topic to study about For these reasons, the researcher

of this paper decides to conduct the study with the title: “A comparison of

American and Vietnamese coffee culture” Hopefully, it would be an useful

material for students learning English as well as for culture- lovers who wish todiscover more about the American and Vietnamese culture

2 Previous researches

There are many researches related to coffee and coffee culture around the

world Francis Thurber (1889) had published about Coffee: From Plantation to Cup, A Brief History of Coffee Production and Consumption Pendergrast M (1999) researched about Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World Catherine M Tucker (2011) mentioned to coffee

culture - local experiences and global connections which helps us know uniquecharacteristics of different coffee drinking styles Knikker, R (2005, March 3)conducted a research about the coffee culture in the USA

In Vietnam, researches on coffee and coffee culture also are conducted.Tran Binh Minh (2011) also had a research on coffee- mediate means of the

society However, it is the first time the topic: “A comparison on American and Vietnamese coffee culture” has been conducted by a student at Foreign Language

Department of Hung Vuong University in Phu Tho province This would be aninteresting and new topic to study about

3 Research purposes

This study aims at the two following main purposes:

- Study the history, types of coffee, ways to make a cup of coffee and thestyle to enjoy coffee of American and Vietnamese.

- Find out the similarities and differences between American and Vietnamesecoffee culture

4 Research questions

This study focus on finding the answers for the following questions:

- What are the features of American coffee culture?

- What are the features of Vietnamese coffee culture?

- What are the similarities and differences between American and Vietnamesecoffee culture?

- Analysis method: the researcher uses this method to analyze the informationrelated to the paper From the data got from many reliable sources, theresearcher makes analysis to have the final results

- Comparison and contrast method:

This method helps the researcher make a comparison and contrast betweenAmerican and Vietnamese coffee culture

5.2 Research procedure

- Finding out information related to the research from different and reliablesources about American and Vietnamese coffee culture

- Studying features of American and Vietnamese coffee culture

- Finding out the similarities and differences between American and Vietnamesecoffee culture

6 The significance of the research

The study aims to help the readers understand more about the similaritiesand differences between the American and Vietnamese coffee culture It alsoprovides helpful information about the history, types of coffee, ways to enjoycoffee as well as the unique features in American and Vietnamese coffee culture.

7 The scope of the research

The research concentrates on the typical similarities and differencesbetween American and Vietnamese coffee culture

8 Hypothesis

If the research is successfully completed, it would be an useful material forstudents learning English It would also provide helpful information for culture- loverswho wish to discover more about the American and Vietnamese coffee culture

9 Design of the study

The study consists of three parts and references

PART A: INTRODUCTION

This part introduces an overall view of the research, presents the rationale for thestudy, previous research, the aims, research questions, methods and significance ofthe study, scope, hypothesis and outline of the study

PART B: MAJOR CONTENT

This part is divided into three chapters: literature review, the study andconclusion

Chapter 1: Literature Review

Three main sections are presented, they are: an overview on culture,introduction of coffee and coffee culture

Chapter 2: The study on American and Vietnamese coffee culture

This chapter presents the important points about American and Vietnamesecoffee culture in terms of the history, types of coffee, the art of making a cup ofcoffee and the style to enjoy coffee of American and Vietnamese

Chapter 3: A comparison on American and Vietnamese coffee culture

It is the main part of this study which points out the similarities and differences

between American and Vietnamese coffee culture

PART C: CONCLUSION

In the conclusion, the researcher will summarize the major findings, limitations

of the study as well as suggestions for further researches

References

PART B: MAJOR CONTENT

CHAPTER 1 LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 An overview on culture

1.1.1 The definition of culture

Culture is a modern concept based on a term first used in classicalantiquity by the Roman orator Cicero: "cultura animi" (cultivation of the soul).This non-agricultural use of the term "culture" re-appeared in modern Europe inthe 17th century referring to the betterment or refinement of individuals,especially through education During the 18th and 19th century it came to refermore frequently to the common reference points of whole peoples, anddiscussion of the term was often connected to national aspirations or ideals.Some scientists used the term "culture" to refer to a universal human capacity

In the 20th century, "culture" emerged as a central concept inanthropology, encompassing the range of human phenomena that cannot bedirectly attributed to genetic inheritance Specifically, the term "culture" inAmerican anthropology had two meanings: the evolved human capacity toclassify and represent experiences with symbols, and to act imaginatively andcreatively; and the distinct ways that people, who live differently, classified andrepresented their experiences, and acted creatively

According to Edward Tylor (1871) in his work “primitive culture”, culture

is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customsand other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society

Franz Boas (1940) Race, Language, and Culture claims that Cultureembraces all the manifestations of social habits of a community, the reactions ofthe individual as affected by the habits of the group in which he lives, and theproduct of human activities as determined by these habits

Geert Hofstede (1997) noted that culture can be defined as the cultivatedbehavior that is socially transmitted It involved the accumulation of knowledge,beliefs, attitudes, experiences, religion, relations, concepts of universe, values,meanings, roles, notions of time, relations, material possessions and objects

acquired and a way of life of a group of people throughout the generations.Therefore, it can be considered as a group of traditional ideas and values that areattached and followed by all the generations.

As described by Velkley (2002), the term "culture," which originallymeant the cultivation of the soul or mind, acquires most of its later modernmeanings in the writings of the 18th-century German thinkers, who are onvarious levels developing Rousseau's criticism of ″ modern liberalism andEnlightenment" Thus, a contrast between "culture" and "civillization" is usuallyimplied in these authors, even when not expressed as such Two primarymeanings of culture emerge from this period: culture as the folk-spirit having aunique identity, and culture as cultivation of waywardness or free individuality.The first meaning is predominant in our current use of the term "culture,"although the second still plays a large role in what we think culture shouldachieve, namely the full "expression" of the unique or "authentic" self

In conclusion, 'culture' is considered to be a complex term, and a variety ofanthropologists and researchers have defined it in various ways The way of living,wearing, singing, dancing, drinking, eating and talking are major parts of a culture

1.1.2 The characteristics of culture

There are many different opinions about the characteristics of culture According

to Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012) Ph.D, University of Northern Philippines, thecharacteristics of culture are shared; group products; symbolic; learned; patterned;integrated; adaptive; compulsory; cumulative; dynamic and diverse

1.1.2.1 It is shared

According to Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012), the culture shared by the socialinteraction may take in many forms to transmit the beliefs, values and expectation of thehuman society The exchange of social ideas may provide understanding and learningabout the human culture and tradition The culture works by social dynamism usinglanguage, communication technologies and commercial trade

a) The use of language as a form of social communications such as groupcommunication, informal communications, discussion and public speaking The

sharing of information is done through the transmittal of knowledge The use oflanguage or dialect may transmit information to the group of people that maylater on learn and understand the culture, tradition, beliefs and expectations of agiven society The common human activities are the grapevine information,social occasions, and public debates.

b) The use of communication technologies through powerful media tools such ascomputers, televisions and cell phones The modern technologies have graduallyexposed universal culture that can easily transmit with mass media The ethnictraditions and cultures are documentarily televised by cable programs such as nationalgeographic or discovery channels The modern fashion and fads of the western culturebecomes the basis of global design in clothing for different occasions

c) The commercial trade and global enterprises provide the better socialexchange through the manufactured goods and services provide in the publicand private enterprise These technological changes have given the opportunity

to sell products that are now fusing in the modern living of the human society.The traditional concept of shared culture emphasizes the ethnic traditions,beliefs, norms and other social activities that may be transmitted by the eldersand parents in the family and the tribe However, the modern life has changed somany things in the sharing of the universal culture for all

1.1.2.2 It is a group product

Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012) said that the group product is the by- product

of culture shared by the social activities of the society The group products provideimportant knowledge and experiences about the racial and ethnic activities

It is the result of lifelong social experience made by those living in certaincommunities that governed by the family of elders They formed tribe with their owncultures and traditions that have been dependent in hunting, fishing, and agriculture.The culture and tradition are passed on to the succeeding generation by educating thechildren from all the social life activities of the tribe Generally, the group productusually is done by cultural diffusion, innovation and amalgamation of cultures

a) The group product is made through the social interaction among the members

of the group to form a unique life in a given geographical location The sociallife has always imbibed the unique contribution of individual life This isadjusted by the geographical conditions to ensure a better life

b) The group product is multi-dimension activities that provide the understanding andlearning the elements of culture such as values, beliefs, norms, language, folkways,mores, laws, material culture and technology The complexities of culture have beenintegrated to form part the universal human society

c) The group products primarily use language and education of the offspring toensure the survival of the culture and tradition of the tribe The transmission ofculture is done by giving informal and formal education

1.1.2.3 It is learned

According to Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012), the cultural transmission

or enculturation is the best way to describe culture learrned The people acquireinformation about the culture by many ways This is done by learning thelanguage and other forms of educational information of the society

a) The members of the group learn to understand and apply certain values,expectations, beliefs and traditions to the society

b) The younger generations readily accept the norms of the society as a part oftheir education to sustain the societal system within their family or tribe

c) The culture is also learned by the language, literature, arts, music and localhistory that are passed across generation

Usually, it is through formal and informal education that the culture istransmitted across generations The parents provide the early education of theirchildren from the way they live in the family and society The social influencetaken from their friends and relatives including their actual experiences providesthe actual learning on a given societal culture Modern society learns the culture

by the formal education from varied levels such as the basic education andtertiary education However, the advent of modern technology the culture iseasily learned through mass media and internet

1.1.2.4 It is symbolic

Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012) said that the communication processuses symbols to identify the given actions, attitudes and behaviors of the people.a) The use of language has varied types of symbols depending on its naturalenvironment, exposure and education to groups or tribes, the social experience andinfluence

b) The social experiences as a whole provides specific communicative symbolsalong arts, music, literature, history and other forms of societal actions

c) The abstract knowledge is reinforced in the way they understand and learn thefeelings, ideas and behaviors of certain group of people in the society

1.1.2.5 It is patterned and integrated

According to Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012), the culture is patterned byspecific dimension of social life such as the economic and political activities.These are the norms of conformity for the human beings to follow in order tomeet the psychological and social needs

a) The economic activities are patterned by the innovation and inventions of culturalgroups that need to be integrated by the social life of the members of the society

b) There are activities that we always do such as going to toilet, washing the hands,cleaning the house, driving the car, going to bedroom and etc We tend to followcertain habits that are patterned by specific culture of a given society Remember thatthe American way of life maybe totally different to the Africans and Asian way of life.c) There are cultural values that are patterned to be followed to live on specific group ofpeople with unique cultures that individual must also follow to integrated similar social life

1.1.2.6 Culture is adaptive

Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012) said that the cultural adaptation is theevolutionary process that modifies the social life of the people in the givennatural environment

- The social evolutionary process is created by the condition of the naturalenvironment that human being constantly adapting on any changes

- The biological modifications and adjustments are always flexible to adapteven in the harsh conditions of the environment.

- The human adaptations uses innovative way to create new cultural dimension

on its way of life from the cultural transformation of clothing, food shelter,music, arts including the beliefs, traditions and history

- The social interaction of man follows the collective activities with commongoals including specific norms, traditions, and beliefs which is followed as ablue print of its distinct cultural existence in the society

1.1.2.8 Culture is cumulative, dynamic and diverse

Christopher Fuster Bueno (2012) believed that the cumulative culture may

be passed from one generation to the next generation Those pertinentknowledge and culture are gradually built as it is useful to the society However,information that is no longer useful to the society may be gradually phased out

There is continuous change of culture as new ways of life evolved by thechanging conditions of the societal life There are cultural practices that no longeruseful today

The culture is different from each other as we must consider the socialexperiences, traditions, norms, mores and other cultural ways in the community

1.1.3 The significance of culture

Culture is the unique possession of man Man is born and brought up in acultural environment Man is not only a social animal but also a cultural being.Man cannot survive as a man without culture Culture fulfils our needs andrepresents the entire achievements of mankind.

Culture is a bond that ties the people of a region or community together

It is that one common bond, which brings the people of a community together.The customs and traditions that the people of a community follow, the festivalsthey celebrate, the kind of clothing they wear, the food they eat, and mostimportantly, the cultural values they adhere to, bind them together

Culture is seen as a system of social control where people shape theirstandards and behavior The cultural values form the founding principles of one'slife They influence one's principles and philosophies of life They influenceone's way of living and thus impact social life The importance of culture lies inthe fact that it is a link between people and their value systems

E B Taylor (1996) defined culture as "that complex whole which

includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morale, laws, customs and any othercapabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” and noted thatculture has been fulfilling a number of functions which may be divided into two

- one for the individual and one for the group

a Importance to the individual

- Culture distinguishes man from animal It is the culture that makes the humananimal a man It regulates his conduct and prepares him for a group life Withoutculture, he would have been forced to find his own way which would havemeant a loss of energy

- Culture provides solution for complicated situations Culture provides man aset of behavior for difficult situations In the absence of culture, man would havebeen baffled even at the simplest situations A culture defines what we eat anddrink, when to sleep, when to laugh and so on

- Culture provides traditional interpretation to certain situations Throughculture, man gets traditional interpretations for many situations according to

which he determines his behavior For example, if a cat crosses his way hepostpones the journey.

- Culture shapes personality No child can develop human qualities in theabsence of cultural environment Culture prepares man for group life It isculture that provides opportunities for the development of personality and setslimits on its growth

b Importance for the group

- Culture keeps social relationship intact Culture has importance not only formen but also for the group Culture prepares man for group life Group lifewould have been poor, nasty, and short if there had been no cultural regulations.Group solidarity rests on the foundation of culture

- Culture has given a new vision to the individual Secondly, culture has given anew vision to the co-operation of the individuals Culture teaches him to think ofhimself as a part of the larger whole It provides him with the concepts of family,state, nation etc and makes possible the coordination and division of labor

- Culture also creates new needs, for example, thirst for knowledge and arrangesfor their satisfaction It satisfies the moral and religious interests of the members

of the group

In conclusion, culture is the unique possession of man No one candevelop human qualities without culture Culture distinguishes, leads, changesthe personality of the individual and structure of the group.

1.2 Introduction of coffee

1.2.1 The history of coffee

According to “the history of coffee” (2013) of the National Coffee

Association of U.S.A, coffee is a major part of Ethiopian culture and Yemeniteculture This cultural significance dates back to as many as 14 centuries ago,which coffee was (or was not) discovered in Yemen Followings are the mythicalorigins and the documented historical origins of coffee both in Ethiopia and inYemen

Ethiopia's Coffee Origin Myth

The most popular legend of coffee in Ethiopia usually goes somethinglike this:

Kaldi, an Abyssinian goat herder from Kaffa, was herding his goats through

a highland area near a monastery He noticed that they were behaving verystrangely that day, and had begun to jump around in an excited manner,bleating loudly and practically dancing on their hind legs He found that thesource of the excitement was a small shrub (or, in some legends, a smallcluster of shrubs) with bright red berries Curiosity took hold and he triedthe berries for himself

Like his goats, Kaldi felt the energizing effects of the coffee cherries.After filling his pockets with the red berries, he rushed home to his wife,and she advised him to go to the nearby monastery in order to share these

"heaven sent" berries with the monks there

Upon arrival at the monastery, Kaldi coffee beans were not greeted withelation, but with distain One monk called Kaldi bounty "the Devil work"and tossed it into a fire However, according to legend, the aroma of theroasting beans was enough to make the monks give this novelty a secondchance They removed the coffee from the fire, crushed them to put out theglowing embers and covered them with hot water in a ewer in order topreserve them (or so the story goes)

All the monks in the monastery smelled the aroma of the coffee andcame to try it out Much like the tea-drinking Buddhist monks of China andJapan, these monks found that coffee uplifting effects were beneficial inkeeping them awake during their spiritual practice (in this case, prayer andholy devotions) They vowed that from then on they would drink thisnewfound beverage each day as an aid to their religious devotions

However, this story did not appear in writing until 1671 AD and is generallyconsidered to be apocryphal rather than a true history of coffee's origin

Yemen's Coffee Origin Myths

Similarly, there are two alternate coffee origin myths One attributesthe discovery of coffee to Yemenite Sufi mystic Ghothul Akbar NooruddinAbu al-Hasan al-Shadhili The other claims that coffee was 'discovered' bySheik Abou'l Hasan Schadheli's disciple, Sheikh Omar, who was living as arecluse in Mocha, Yemen.

The first myth recounts the origin of coffee as follows:

Al-Shadhili was traveling through Ethiopia, presumably on spiritual matters Heencountered some very energetic birds that had been eating the fruit of

the bunn plant (known elsewhere as the coffee plant) Weary from his journey, he

decided to try these berries for himself, and he found that they produced anenergetic state in him, as well This myth is interesting in that it was preserved inYemen, but it attributes the origin of coffee to Ethiopia

The second coffee origin myth from Yemen claims that coffeeoriginated in Yemen The story goes like this:

Sheikh Omar, a doctor-priest and a follower of Sheik Abou'l Hasan Schadhelifrom Mocha, Ethiopia, was exiled to a desert cave close to the mountain ofOusab According to one versions of the myth, this exile was for some sort ofmoral transgression According to another version of the myth, Omar was exiledbecause he practiced medicine on the princess in the stead of his master (who was

on his deathbed) and, after curing her of her illness, decided to "keep" her andwas exiled by the king as punishment

After some time of exile, on the verge of starvation, Omar found the redberries of the coffee plant and tried to eat them (According to one version

of the story, a bird brought him a branch bearing coffee cherries after hecried out in despair for guidance from his master, Schadheli.) However, hefound them to be too bitter to eat raw, so he threw the berries into this fire,hoping to remove their bitterness This basic roasting technique hardenedthe berries in the fire They were unsuitable for chewing, so Omar boiledthem to try to soften them As they boiled, he noticed the pleasant aroma ofthe increasingly brown liquid in which they were boiling, and decided to

drink this decoction rather than eat the beans He found the drink to berevitalizing and shared his tale with others (In another version of the story,Omar found the raw beans to be delicious, and decided to make them into asoup which, when the roasted coffee cherries were removed, becamesomething closely resembling to the drink we know of as coffee.)

The story of Omar's invigorating drink quickly reached hishometown of Mocha His exile was lifted and he was ordered to returnhome with the berries he had discovered Returning to Mocha, he sharedcoffee beans and the drink of coffee with others, who found that it 'cured'many ailments Soon, they hailed coffee as a miracle drug and Omar as asaint A monastery was built in Mocha in Omar's honor

1.2.2 Health benefits from coffee

According to the research “Coffee and health: a review of recent human research” (2006) of Higdon J.V and Frei B.,Linus Pauling Institute,

Oregon State University, Portland, there are some health benefits of coffeeconsumption

1.2.2.1 Staying awake and remaining alert throughout the day

Coffee is the best way to prevent sleep Coffee acts as a stimulant to yourbody and increases blood pressure Downing a cup of coffee dilates your bloodvessels and allows more O2 to get to your brain providing a boost of energy.Coffee’s key ingredient is caffeine; once it reaches the brain it can block orcontrol sleep receptors

1.2.2.2 Containing high source of antioxidants

Many people probably don’t realize that coffee is one of the highestsources of antioxidants Antioxidants are dietary substances (such ascarotenoids, flavonoids and selenium) that can help prevent damage to yourbody cells or repair damage all ready there This tasty drink containsquinines — an antioxidant that can help lower the risk of type 2 diabetesand aid in tissue repair But not only that, this clever compound can alsohelp give your immune system an extra boost As the cold and flu season

comes into full swing, this added benefit may just be your best line ofdefense.

1.2.2.3 Preventing Parkinson’s disease

Another great reason to reach for that cup of coffee is that regularlyconsuming the drink can significantly delay the onset of Parkinson’sdisease Those who drink more than four cups of coffee a day have an 80percent less chance of developing the disease in the first place This addedhealth benefit can also be of aid for those who are already diagnosed withParkinson’s disease, calming muscle tremors and restoring motor function.This discovery is a great reason to keep coffee in your diet

1.2.2.4 Helping fight depression

As the weather begins to change, many people find themselvessuffering from the winter blues But the good news is that coffee may help.Caffeine not only gives your body a jolt, but it also acts a mild anti-depressant, boosting certain neurotransmitters in your brain responsible forhappiness

1.2.2.5 Preventing cancer

A comprehensive review published in 1997 by the American Institute

of Cancer Research, in Washington and the World Cancer Research Fund inLondon found that coffee was not carcinogenic The findings indicated thatcoffee may help to prevent cancer of the colon The risk of colon cancerwas lowered by 24% for those that drank four cups of coffee a day amongpeople observed in various studies spanning several years The analysiswas comprised of 17 studies from 1960 to 1990 on colorectal cancer andcoffee Japanese researcher reported in 2005 that people who drank coffeeeveryday over 10 years were half as likely to get liver cancer as those whodidn’t drink it at all It is not clear whether caffeine is the responsible forthe reduction in cases Coffee is the leading source of antioxidants in thediet Antioxidants have been linked to various health benefits, includingprotection from cancer and heart disease Fruits and vegetables are packed

with more antioxidants and are a higher nutritional benefit than coffee butthe problem is that most consumers are not eating enough of them Expertssay that drinking one to two cups of coffee a day does appear to provide ahealth boost because of these antioxidants.

1.2.2.6 Defeating diabetes

Studies link frequent coffee consumption (4 cups per day or more)with a lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes Scientists suspect thatantioxidant compounds in coffee - cholorogenic acid and quinides - mayboost cells' sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar Whilemost of the research didn't assess whether the brews were caffeinated,decaf may be even better, since other studies have found that caffeine tends

to blunt the insulin-sensitivity boost

1.2.2.7 Having hearty benefits

A recent Japanese study has found that coffee has got amazingbenefits to the heart as the quantity of caffeine in one cup of coffeeimproves the work of the micro blood vessels

According to the American Heart Association’s annual meeting inDallas, caffeine improves blood flow at 30% through the micro vessels.The micro-vessels enhance the circulation of blood in the circulatorysystem and the body tissues

There might be a strong link between drinking coffee and minimizingthe risk of heart attack and other heart illnesses Also, it was proven thatcaffeine may make better the role of larger arteries of our hearts

1.2.2.8 Having a better liver

Though the research is limited at best, it appears that the more coffeepeople drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.One analysis of nine studies found that every 2-cup increase in daily coffeeintake was associated with a 43 percent lower risk of liver cancer Possibleexplanation: caffeine and antioxidant chlorogenic and caffeic acids incoffee might prevent liver inflammation and inhibit cancer cells

In conclusion, numerous benefits have been attributed to coffee.Upon the expansion of scientific research in this field; more and more factshave accumulated testifying to the connection between moderate coffeeconsumption and lower chances of suffering from wide variety of diseases.However, in this study, some main advantages of coffee are introduced

1.3 Coffee culture

1.3.1 The definition of coffee culture

Coffee culture describes a social atmosphere or series of associatedsocial behaviors that depends heavily upon coffee, particularly as a social

lubricant, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_culture.

The term also refers to the diffusion and adoption of coffee as a widelyconsumed stimulant by a culture In the late 20th century, particularly inthe Western world and urbanized centers around the globe, espresso hasbeen an increasingly dominant form

The formation of culture around coffee and coffeehouses dates back to 14thcentury Coffeehouses in Western Europe and the Eastern Mediterraneanwere traditionally social hubs, as well as artistic and intellectual centers.For example, Les Deux Magots in Paris, now a popular tourist attraction,was once associated with the intellectuals Jean- Paul and Simone deBeauvoir In the late 17th and 18th centuries, coffeehouses inLondon became popular meeting places for artists, writers, andsocialites and were also the center for much political and commercialactivity Elements of today's coffeehouses (slower paced gourmet service,tastefully decorated environments, or social outlets such as openmid nights) have their origins in early coffeehouses, and continue to formpart of the concept of coffee culture

In the United States in particular, the term is frequently used todesignate the ubiquitous presence of hundreds of espresso stands andcoffee shops in the Seattle metropolitan area and the spread of franchises

of businesses such as Starbucks and their clones across the United States

Other aspects of coffee culture include the presence of free wirelessInternet access for customers, many of whom do business in these locationsfor hours on a regular basis The style of coffee culture varies throughcountry, with an example being the strength of existing cafe style coffeeculture in Australia used to explain the poor performance of Starbucksthere.

In many urban centers around the world, it is not unusual to seeseveral espresso shops and stands within walking distance of each other or

on opposite corners of the same intersection, typically with customersoverflowing into parking lots Thus, the term coffee culture is also usedfrequently in popular and business media to describe the deep impact of themarket penetration of coffee-serving establishments

1.3.2 Coffee culture around the world

1.3.2.1 Italy

Italy - the birthplace of 'coffee culture' and the drinks associated with

it, is extremely passionate about coffee Italians consider it to be a quick,stimulating drink, unlike most places where relaxing and socializing over acup is the norm Coffee comes at 'drinkable' temperature and has to begulped in a sip The Italians adore their café - a shot of very strongespresso in a small cup

Drinking a 'milky' coffee - cappuccino, latte, macchiato after breakfast isconsidered absurd, even laughable by most Italians

The cafe might even charge you more for drinking a coffee on the table.Many Italians don't just have their favorite coffee shop, they might alsoinsist on a particular barista

Some Italians, particularly the older gents or working-class men, enjoy acup of Corretto, an espresso spiked with liquor, as their wake-me-up drink.Coffee at home is brewed on the stove in a Moca pot Of course, the metrosand the more touristy places are a lot more relaxed about these rules andwon't be as particular