COFFEE

by Jill Norman

Part of a series of books for those interested in cooking and food. This book examines the history of coffee, the various traditions and methods of coffee drinking and how to make a stimulating brew. It also contains easy-to-follow recipes, which include ways of preparing coffee according to various national tastes, coffee-flavoured ice creams and puddings, cakes and biscuits.

41 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1992

About the author

Jill created the Penguin Cookery Library in the 1960s and 1970s, bringing many first-class authors to the list. She has since become a Glenfiddich trophy winner in her own right, and is a leading authority on the use of herbs and spices. She is the literary trustee of the Elizabeth David estate, and worked with Mrs David for many years.

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

Amazing. Although quite short, this book packs a great deal of information in just a few pages. I learned about the history of coffee and how its popularity spread, and I learned a bit about the plant itself. The last several pages of the book contain recipes, and while I have not yet had the pleasure of trying any of them, I hope to do so soon. They seem delicious, and the instructions are not complicated.

[Sunny]

Jill Norman’s DK short book on coffee reads spectacularly, with in-depth knowledge on the subject matter ranging from the origins, the culture, commerce and revelry surrounding the ubiquitous cup of coffee.

It touches on important subjects such as its roles in cultural shifts, the stimulation of minds for the discussions and discourse of all things political, religious and earthly to how coffee is traded now, as well as its cultivation, roasting, grinding, coffee producing regions and coffee based recipes.

Published in 1992 it does now run dated in terms of new themes and trends of third-wave coffee culture such as transparency and long term cooperation in supply-chains, direct trade sourcing and partner relationships with coffee producing countries and roasters and green coffee importers.

As well as current concerns such as plant disease and impacts of coffee due to climate change and changing tastes and habits.

Indeed, this something that of course has been written about since and continues to be written about now.

For me, Norman’s book is nonetheless the first book anyone should read when wanting to educate themselves on coffee and its complex and long history.

[Brian]

learned a little, but short and to the point