“Coffee makes the world go round.” This is the opening sentence to Marcia Abrams The Coffee Atlas: Different Types of Coffee and How They Are Prepared Around the World. As an avid coffee drinker myself, I was very interested in this book. I’ve enjoyed coffee from a wide range of different places over the years (The Galapagos, Kenya, Costa Rica, Hawaii, etc.), so I was very curious to see what new information I could learn about my favorite addiction.
The first part of the book is a general introduction to the world of coffee along with some of the broader issues related to coffee growing today. From there, the book breaks down the major geographic regions where coffee is grown.
In addition to information on the different types of coffee, the book goes into detail about how different countries serve and drink their coffee. From the plethora of café drinks seen in the United States, to the more simplistic flat whites commonly seen in Australia and New Zealand, the book discusses how we like our coffee. As someone who has been lucky enough to enjoy coffee both in the United States and abroad, I really appreciated this discussion.
Overall, I think this book is a good introduction to the world of coffee for those who want a brief guide to how the coffee industry works today. There’s even a short recipe guide at the end of the book for those who want a more do-it-yourself approach to their coffee experience.