Monday Miscellany: Some Odds, Ends and Personals

No, not bullshit, but civet shit.  More of that later.

Some incoming . . .

* * * * * * * * * *

From Tobye in the US in response to the Bikers Against Child Abuse post:

Otto, this is so cool! Best story of the year if not the decade-how wonderful! 

Ya know, there are horrible things happening and evil men doing nasty things all over the planet-it helps to know it goes the other way too-thanks for all you do.

Regards, Tobye 

From wife Kate about the same post:

What a moving story.

Thanks Tobye, Kate

* * * * * * * * * *

From Arthur in respect of the Views From Above post:

What a wonderful world we have.

Thanks, amigo, that’s what I say to myself.

* * * * * * * * * *

From Byter David B in respect of the Turkish coffee proverb "Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and as sweet as love." 

A variation on the Turkish proverb is "Coffee should be black as night, hot as hell and sweet as sin"

Thanks, David. Not having sinned, I am unaware as to its taste characteristics.

* * * * * * * * * *

From Sue B in respect of the coffee post, specifically about my comment about staying with Moccona and not trying Kopi Luwak, the world’s most expensive coffee that comes from coffee beans excreted by a Sumatran marsupial.

Otto!! Thank you for this..I'm the biggest coffee "snob" (instant coffee yuk..only in emergencies!)  

I have drunk Luwak coffee!!! It is great. I'm going to bring you back some in a few weeks to try.)  

I watched the whole process here in Bali..not as bad as it sounds... Rather interesting actually although there are some places that don't treat Luwaks well (that's why when you google it there is a lot about animal cruelty) but the farmer I met loves his Luwaks...they bring him lots of $#39;s so that helps I guess.  

We affectionately call it shit coffee....even my old mum calls it that.  

Another friend described it as a crapuccino!! Haha 

Hope all is well 

Big hugs  

Sue x 

Thanks, Sue.

* * * * * * * * * *

By way of further comment:

• Afficionados say that the coffee is the best because the marsupial that eats the beans, the Asian palm civet, eats coffee berries containing better quality beans and secondly that the fermentation which occurs during digestion improves the taste quality. The civets eat the berries for the fleshy pulp and excrete the beans.

A civet, consumption end.

From the production end, pre-processing.

• The traditional gathering of civet feces in the wild has given way to intensive commercial harvesting from force-fed civets in battery cages.

• Traditional producers say that intensive harvesting does not allow optimum taste production in that it removes the civet’s ability to choose which berries to eat.

• Harvesting is posing a threat to the civet population, commercial harvesting also having a high mortality rate.

• Prices reach US$700 per kilogram.

• Fraud is common, with mis-labeling and even chemical counterfeiting being on the increase.

• In the coffee industry kopi luwak is widely regarded as a gimmick or novelty item. The Speccialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) states that there is a "general consensus within the industry ... it just tastes bad"

• From The Bucket List with Morgan Freeman as Carter Chambers and Jack Nicholson as Edward Cole:

[Carter hands Edward an article about Kopi Luwak, Edward's favorite coffee]

Carter Chambers: Read it.

Edward Cole:[reading] Kopi Luwak is the world's most expensive coffee. Though for some, it falls under the category of "too good to be true." In the Sumatran village, where the beans are grown, lives a breed of wild tree cat. These cats eat the beans, digest them and then... defecate.

[pauses]

Edward Cole: The villagers then collect and process the stools. It is the combination of the beans and the gastric juices of the tree cat that give Kopi Luwac...

[Carter starts laughing]

Edward Cole: ...its unique flavor... and aroma. You're shitting me!

Carter Chambers: [laughing] Cats beat me to it!

[Carter and Edward both laugh hysterically]

* * * * * * * * *