Maggie's Farm

Mr. Jacobs opened England's first coffee house in Oxford in 1650. It was two years later that another coffee house was opened in London by a Greek, Pasqua Rosee, in partnership with Daniel Edwards, an Englishman. By 1700 some two thousand such coffee shops were established.

The word "tip" dates back to the old London coffeehouses. Conspicuously placed brass boxes etched with the inscription, "To Insure Promptness," encouraged customers to pay for efficient service. The resulting acronym, TIP, has become a byword.

I also learned on that site that the darker roasts contain less caffeine, and that the coffee tree was introduced to Hawaii as an ornamental plant - not for production.

Photo on left: Ripe Kona coffee beans.