[MR] Re: Coffee in period

[Towey, Brian]

OK, all you coffee historians, maybe you can answer a question for me.

I had a Jordanian college buddy who told me about a special drug/spice that
Arab kings add to their coffee.  He described how they drink the coffee in
tiny cups (refilled often to show generosity by the host), and sprinkled
with this powder.  He called it "hal" with a long A, and said it was both
euphoric and addictive.

After inquiring at several middle eastern import shops and drawing a blank,
I made my friend write the word in Arabic.  Then, I went to a shopkeeper and
showed him the word.  "Oh," he said.  "That's just cardamom."

So, here is the question: How old is the practice of adding spice to coffee,
and which spices were popular in period?  Cinnamon?  Cardamom?  Clove?

We just heard a long list of original additives to chocolate, including
cayenne and even ambergris of all things.  How about coffee?

-Charles Fleming

"Exotic, delicious, addictive, and euphoric?  Make mine a double!"