Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody

Samuel Pepys (1733-1803)

As quoted in The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine by Jeff Smith (1986)

“Coffee for Entertaining: The history of coffee is filled with wonderful and doubtful stories. The discovery of coffee is attributed to a Moslem priest or Mullah, Chadely by name. He lived during the first part of the ninth century and could not stay awake during his prayers. In an act of mercy, The Holy One led the priest to a goat herdsman. The herdsman told him that there was a plant nearby that attracted his goats. When they ate from the plant they stayed up all night jumping about and playing around. The Mullah made a brew from the berries of the shrub and was delighted to find that he could stay up all night in prayer and not suffer any side effects. To this day it is common for a pilgrim to Mecca to be offered coffee before his prayers.

“Coffee probably originated in Ethiopia and spread throughout the Middle East. One of the first promises that Turks must make to their wives is that they will never run out of coffee. And ‘coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love.’

“The beverage came to Europe, and by the end of the sixteenth century coffee had become so important that the Roman church banned it as the wine of Islam. It was only to be drunk by infidels. Pope Clement VIII somehow tasted it, however, and decided that ‘this Satan’s drink is too delicious to let the heathens have it all to themselves. We will baptize it and make a Christian beverage of it.’ He did, and we have been sitting up all night ever since.”

“This is very Italian!”

COFFEE ICE

“Prepare a very dark coffee, extra-heavy brew. I prefer espresso. Freeze in ice-cube trays. When ready for a smashing dessert, place coffee ice cubes in the food processor. Add a few tablespoons of additional coffee and process to an ice or sherbet. Serve with a little whipped cream on top.”