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A Legend Begins: Coffee from Ethiopia

The passion for coffee has its beginnings in Ethiopia in the 9th century. The legend surrounding the most coveted bean in the world began in what is now the Ethiopian region of Kaffa: according to the tale, the goatherd Kaldi observed that after eating some red fruits from a special plant, some of his goats became extraordinarily awake and active and jumped around at night. Meanwhile, the rest of the herd, who hadn’t eaten any of the red fruits, were fast asleep. When the shepherd tried some of the fruit after a few observations, he discovered the stimulating effect himself.

According to legend, he told the monks of a nearby monastery about it, who experimented with the fruit and used it to prepare an infusion. And the effect also took its course with the monks: After enjoying the brew, they were able to pursue their pious activities even at a late hour.

The tales differ as to whether the goatherds or the monks became aware of the delicious roasted aroma through contact with fire and began to only use roasted fruits. Either way, this legend is the cornerstone of our coffee culture today, and the custom of processing and consuming the fruit of the coffee plant quickly spread and enjoyed great popularity. The tradition of cultivating high-quality Ethiopian coffee is still an integral part of everyday life in the landlocked African country. Around 12 million people in Ethiopia earn their living by growing coffee.

Origin of Yirgacheffe coffee

Probably the most famous and popular Ethiopian coffee is the Yirgacheffe coffee, which was named after its growing region in the south of the country. This is planted by many small farmers whose coffee gardens are usually smaller than one hectare. This individual cultivation technique has the advantage that each individual coffee plant is lovingly cared for, cared for and processed.

At an altitude of between 2,000 and 2,200 meters, the coffee cherries gradually ripen in the cool mountain climate and nutrient-rich soil, which allows them to develop their diverse aromas and fruity-spicy flavors. Due to the excellent environmental conditions in this region and the constant improvements in quality, this exceptional coffee is enjoying ever-growing demand.

The Yirgacheffe enchants coffee lovers with a very fresh, flowery and fruity taste. The typical Yirgacheffe flavor and the incomparable taste of citrus are unmistakable trademarks of this coffee. The fruity aroma is reminiscent of flowers and berries. The experience is rounded off by a long-lasting, caramel-like aftertaste. The Yirgacheffe is also a popular part of the coffee ceremony in Ethiopia, a tradition that is still part of social and cultural life today.

Our tips for the perfect Ethiopian coffee

How do you prepare the exceptional Yirgacheffe coffee? There are many different ways to tease out the strong, voluminous and aromatic taste of Yirgacheffe. The preparation in the French Press or the coffee filter ideally brings out all the fine nuances and the pleasant acidity of this special coffee.

The Yirgacheffe is perfect for a delicious espresso or as a tasty basis for milk specialties. With this unique coffee from Ethiopia you will certainly experience very special moments of pleasure!

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Food

Thanks to the Frost: Icewine Harvest Begins

Wine fans can rejoice, because this year there is a harvest of ice wine, albeit a small one. Many winegrowers were already worried about the noble grapes because the mild winter weeks made hope for ice wine to dwindle this year. Thanks to the frost, some winegrowers can now breathe a sigh of relief.

The Icewine harvest has begun

It seemed almost impossible to harvest the coveted ice wine this year: the temperatures were far too mild. But in the meantime, it is wintry cold in almost all of Germany. This not only pleases wine lovers, but also the winegrowers, who can now harvest frozen Riesling and Pinot Noir grapes.

On the Middle Rhine, on the Nahe, in Rheinhessen, and in the Palatinate there were no frosty temperatures at night: Even during the day, frost is a must for ice wine. However, many winegrowers no longer expected an ice wine harvest, so a large proportion of the grapes were picked from the vines earlier due to the mild temperatures. Otherwise, the risk of the grapes spoiling would have been too great.

This is ice wine

Ice wine tastes especially sweet because the frozen grapes produce a highly concentrated must with high sugar content. For this purpose, the fruits are harvested at least minus seven degrees and then processed immediately in the winery. The water contained in the grapes only crystallizes when temperatures remain below seven degrees.

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health

Asparagus Season Begins: Why Does Urine Smell so Bad After Eating Asparagus?

Asparagus is delicious and, thanks to valuable ingredients, also healthy. But as soon as you eat it, the delicious dish turns into a pungent smell in the toilet. Why is that?

The problem: Urine smells bad after eating asparagus

If only it weren’t for that unpleasant acrid smell when you go to the toilet, shortly after eating asparagus. However, fewer people are affected by this than is commonly thought.

The phenomenon of asparagus urine only occurs with every second person. The reasons can be very different. “Methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulphide compete in asparagus urine for the most unpleasant note,” says an article in the magazine Chemie in our time.
The foul-smelling substance trio is quite familiar to our nose: It also gives human biogases such as flatulence, mouth and athlete’s foot odor unpleasant notes.

Why does urine smell after eating asparagus?

Asparagus, whether white or green, contains asparagusic acid, which is initially odorless. However, if this is broken down, a sulphur-containing compound is formed which is excreted in the urine – with a corresponding odour.

However, this breakdown product only occurs if you have a certain enzyme – and not everyone does that. The genes decide who has this enzyme and who doesn’t. Only about 40 percent of people have such a gene that is able to produce the enzyme.

Still others can’t even smell the smell. The Apotheken Umschau writes that those affected then probably have a mutation in an odor receptor gene. But don’t worry, it’s neither bad nor dangerous.

Asparagus urine resembles skunk secretion

“The smell is harmless and not a sign of illness or poisoning,” reports Stefan Lorkowski, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Jena, to the Apotheken-Umschau. Stuffing when going to the toilet is still unpleasant. No wonder, since the substance is similar to the chemical compounds in the dreaded skunk secretion.

Only 15 minutes after enjoying an asparagus meal, it starts to smell. Nothing can be done about it. However, drinking plenty of water helps flush the breakdown products out of the body quickly.

Incidentally, the problem that the pee gives off a strange smell after eating asparagus is not new: reports of smelly asparagus urine have been around since the middle of the 17th century – a time when sulfur and sulfates were used as fertilizers for the first time.

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