Good to the last dropping!?

Mar. 2nd, 2007 at 6:14 AM

Whenever you think coffee connoisseurs have come up with the
strangest idea, just wait for this one. It will leave you holding your
breath! What kind of coffee could possibly sell for prices ranging from
$100 to $300 per pound? I present to you Kopi Luwak. An
extremely rare coffee due to the fact that the beans are first
processed through the intestinal track of a palm civet (Paradoxurus
hermaphroditus). Once thought of as only an urban legend, I now present
you with the honest truth. This raccoon like animal has a sickly-sweet
odor reminiscent of a striped skunk and loves the cherry like fruit
that covers the coffee bean. Yes, ingested and deposited shortly
thereafter, the beans are ripe for the picking. Once thought as a pest
to the crop, these critters are now welcomed friends. Coffee pickers
comb the civet's droppings for the berries and remove the husk. These
yummy, choice beans are thoroughly washed, in other words,
decrappinated, then roasted and ready for the brew. Oh boy, an aromatic
brew it would be.

As for the taste, some laud this coffee for its incredible aroma due
to the civet only eating the ripest berries. They can’t pass it up;
describing it by saying, The aroma is rich and strong, and the
coffee is incredibly full bodied, almost syrupy. It's thick with a hint
of chocolate, and lingers on the tongue with a long, clean aftertaste.
Although, others are of the opinion that it is gamey
and tastes like crap. They used to believe that the civet’s digestion
did not get through the husk; however, now they know that is not the
case. A study by a Canadian University, U of Guelph, Ontario – and I am
glad our tax dollars did not pay for this – reported that the civet's
stomach acids and enzymes digest the beans' cherry-like covering and
ferment the beans themselves, before they're excreted. The beans were
found to be lower in total protein, meaning that proteins were
partially broken down and leached out during their travel. Could this
make a real difference in taste? Yes. However, I am not going to verify
any of this for myself, thank you. No matter how special it is, it
remains to me as crap in a cup. There are all types of excellent,
exotic coffees that haven’t been recycled through a small, furry
animal. Feel free to enjoy this one for yourself. Hey, maybe buy some
for your mother-in-law for her birthday!

Next time you are enjoying your brew, just think, you could be having a Crappaccino instead!

This is Stefanie reminding you to enjoy life, one cup at a time.

Steph wrote this. I've actually had Kapi Lowak. It is every bit as good as it's described to be.
The roasting kills the organisms that linger, making the beans as clean as any other.