All About Coffee

WHAT’S MAKING COFFEE AMERICA’S BEVERAGE OF CHOICE?

Marquette, MI – From our kitchens to the cafes, coffee has become a $30 billion dollar industry in the U.S.

Running the kids to school, cramming for that exam at Northern (if you’re a student) or just waking up to greet the day, drinking this bold, flavorful elixir is truly one of my favorite parts of every morning. It is a time every morning when I get to visit with my husband, sipping carefully and discussing what awaits us for the day. It is not just the beverage that makes this time special, although life without coffee would be, in my opinion, one less worth living.

Shared as a popular drink of adults today, it is brewed to awaken your senses and make you more alert throughout the day.
There are so many options out there for how to drink coffee that the choices are endless. Some of the most popular are cappuccino, espresso, and frappes. Coffee is a $30 billion dollar United States industry, with the US’s largest supplier being Brazil, followed closely by Columbia. Other than petroleum, coffee is the second largest imported commodity in the country today.  ( http://www.globalexchange.org/fairtrade/coffee/faq )

There are a number of coffee shops in and around Marquette, as an internet search resulted in the following: Dead River Coffee Roasters, Third Street Bagel, Starbucks, Huron Mountain Bakery, Baby Cakes and Cruise –N- Coffee. There are also a few located on the Northern Michigan University campus, making life for students who enjoy it even easier to accommodate.  Whether you choose Stone Mill Creek or Starbucks, both conveniently located in Jamrich Hall on campus, you will likely find many other fans of the drink there, patronizing both businesses. Though not specifically listed under coffee shops, you can also order the popular beverage at nearly every local restaurant or gas station as well.

Caffeine is a drug contained in coffee and, as a result, there are many people who are unable to drink it. There are other people out there (yes, they exist) who simply don’t like it, but the number of people that ingest coffee every day have made it the leading type of beverage in the world.

Coffee has been portrayed by many to be almost life-altering. That if you drink it, it will make you more alert and able to handle anything. Although caffeine is a drug that does cause alertness, being under the influence does not cause any harm, if taken in moderation. It is not advised for pregnant or nursing women, however, or those who may take certain types of medication for various degrees of conditions or illnesses.

Cafes and restraurants serving coffee are often the first go to for business meetings or friendly gatherings. (dollarphotoclub.com)

Coffee, historically, has brought together many great people, with great ideas. “One of the ironies about coffee is it makes people think. It sort of creates egalitarian places — coffeehouses where people can come together — and so the French Revolution and the American Revolution were planned in coffeehouses.” It is often said that after the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when American colonists raided British tea ships and threw crates of tea into the harbor, Americans universally switched over to drinking coffee.
(http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/04/24/178625554/how-coffee-influenced-the-course-of-history)

For me, some of my best memories exist in my memory while I was drinking coffee. Getting my children up in the morning, or watching the sun come up, sitting under a cozy blanket, or visiting with friends, coffee has been present.

Although most people choose to drink coffee in the morning, it can be enjoyed at any time of the day. This semester I am lucky in not personally having any early morning classes, but l still drink my allotted amount every day. Whether off and running in anticipation of a busy day or looking for that “cup of Joe” to help me prepare for one of my son’s cold & rainy football games, I enjoy mine throughout the day with a little bit of creamer.

If you are a coffee connoisseur, then Marquette County offers many different options for you. Coffee is a great conversation starter and owners of local coffee shops will likely be happy to discuss roasting and brewing details for anyone that wants more information. Some say that coffee is an acquired taste, other naysayers state that it will stunt your growth. Whatever your opinion of coffee is, though, I would not recommend getting in between a consumer and their product…at least until they’ve had their first cup of the morning.

by Maggie J Shepeard

Maggie J. Shepeard lives, works and plays in Marquette, Michigan with her husband and four amazing children, ages 10-18. She’s been an avid writer since the moment she first picked up a writing utensil. Non-fiction novels are her specialty, but she can see a storyline in everything and everywhere that she looks. Often working under the pen name, “Kathryn Lee,” she’s had one book published and is under contract to complete two more before year’s end. She’s a full- time student at Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, with a Major in Multimedia Journalism and a Minor in Writing. She’s taken every English and Writing class that she can, but still learns something new with every new subject. Maggie enjoys traveling and camping with her family and looks at everything is life as an adventure. She’s a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan, and she can be found every Sunday (during the season) rooting for her team. Maggie is a “Yooper” all the way, and is originally from Powers, Michigan, although she’s also lived in both Cadillac and Escanaba, Michigan before finding her permanent home on the pristine shores of Lake Superior, right here in Marquette. To see more of Maggie’s work, or to reach her via email, please click the link below.

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