Oggetto Banale Coffee Maker (1980) by Alessandro Mendini in collaboration with Daniela Puppa, Paola Navone, and Franco RaggiMuseum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
Pour yourself a cup of java and scroll to learn about one of the world's most popular beverages.
Exposição Conhecendo o Café (2013) by Museu do CaféMuseu do Café
It all starts with a seed. Coffee plants take many years to fully mature and are a challenge to cultivate, but the fruits of that labor are these cherries.
Seduction (2019-06-14) by Gabriela Lavalle (photographer), Itzel Mendoza (floral artist), and Rafael Muñoz-Márquez (editor)Colectivo Rokunin
When the cherries have ripened, they're harvested by workers in coffee-producing countries around the world. Most coffee grown is of the arabica variety, with robusta coffee making up the remaining 40%.
Coffee (1935) by Candido PortinariProjeto Portinari
This 1935 painting by Brazilian painter Candido Portinari shows just some of the work that goes into each cup of the aromatic elixir.
Tap to explore
The coffee cherries are dried, sometimes in a machine like this, and the fruit is removed. The seeds inside are known as green coffee beans.
Toasted coffee (2021-05-31) by Colectivo Rokunin and On The ShoreColectivo Rokunin
The beans are then roasted, resulting in the rich, brown coffee we know and love.
Coffee grinders from the First World War (2020) by Dubai CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
The cup isn't done just yet. The beans must be ground first, sometimes by industrial machines and sometimes by hand at home.
Tap to explore
Now, with the fragrance already in the air, we can begin the brewing process--done most simply by pouring hot water over the coffee grounds.
Coffee (1956) by Richard DiebenkornChrysler Museum of Art
Moments later, we can enjoy a piping-hot, aromatic beverage. Coffee is served and prepared in almost innumerable ways.
Tap to explore
This opulent building is the Coffee House at Quirinale Palace in Rome. Imagine having a house just for coffee!
Nighthawks (1942) by Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967)The Art Institute of Chicago
Day or night, hot or cold, people around the world love a cup of joe. How do you take your coffee?
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.