Caucus anyone?
(by RP Edwards)
Through the grinder
Through the mill
Through the gauntlet
Through the still
Through the fire
Through the blade
Iowa Caucus
Sausage
Made
Their names were Kopi and Luwak and, aside from residing on the island of Sumatra in the mid nineteenth century, these two teenagers were much the same as the modern versions; curious, mischievous, seeking--by nature--to bend the established rules and push, whenever they could, past the line of "don't do it!" However, unlike the nearly know-nothings of today, these strapping young lads had no electronic gizmos to occupy their "not mature by a long shot" brains and, thankfully, no illicit drugs to skew their path towards normal, boring, adulthood. However, just because there were no "mind-bending chemicals" readily available (indeed, only the nearby Dutch plantation had any "spirits" of consequence [heavily guarded]), these, never-the-less, were not beyond popping something in their mouths to see if a "buzz" was possible. And this, dear reader, is the real story of how partially digested coffee beans were harvested from Civet droppings and transformed into one of the most expensive, and exquisite, coffees of the planet.
_______
Yes, of course the above story is a fiction (or is it?) But, the "Civit coffee" (also known as 'Kopi luwak') does indeed exist and, as a notable novelty, one of my sons bought me 2 ounces of the stuff as a Christmas gift. The price? Thirty five dollars! And, although I cringe at the thought of it's pre-roasted journey, I will, someday soon, carefully brew the treasure and offer a sip to all present.
By now many of you remember that this very same coffee had a prominent place in the not-too-long-ago movie titled, The Bucket List. Staring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two death-bound cancer patients, these two polar opposites constructed a list of "must-dos" before they each...kicked the bucket. One item on the list was "Laugh till I cry." This was achieved when Freeman's character pointed out to millionaire Jack that the coffee he insisted on...came from a jungle cat's butt.
So, today is the day of the much anticipated Iowa Caucuses. And, dear reader, the whole process; the terrible, inhumane, sometimes brutal and downright nasty process where one goes from candidate to office holder, well, it reminded me of the exotic coffee with the rude beginnings. I dearly hope, when all is said and done, that the final "product" is as refined and revered as the coffee from Sumatra.
Ever wonder what possessed someone to "try" the coffee-beans in the first place? Wiki knows
That amusing clip from the movie "The Bucket List." Just one nasty word to deal with.
By now many of you remember that this very same coffee had a prominent place in the not-too-long-ago movie titled, The Bucket List. Staring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two death-bound cancer patients, these two polar opposites constructed a list of "must-dos" before they each...kicked the bucket. One item on the list was "Laugh till I cry." This was achieved when Freeman's character pointed out to millionaire Jack that the coffee he insisted on...came from a jungle cat's butt.
So, today is the day of the much anticipated Iowa Caucuses. And, dear reader, the whole process; the terrible, inhumane, sometimes brutal and downright nasty process where one goes from candidate to office holder, well, it reminded me of the exotic coffee with the rude beginnings. I dearly hope, when all is said and done, that the final "product" is as refined and revered as the coffee from Sumatra.
Ever wonder what possessed someone to "try" the coffee-beans in the first place? Wiki knows
That amusing clip from the movie "The Bucket List." Just one nasty word to deal with.
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