Why I Wrote a Book on Joe...Confession of a Coffee Lover

Preface

 By Cal Orey

One snowy winter morning, I followed my everyday ritual. 

I entered the kitchen and brewed a cup of steaming hot coffee. While Mr. Coffee did its job, I fed my Brittany duo and let them outdoors. Then, I poured French Vanilla Roast into a 12-ounce white mug and embraced it, bringing the java back to bed with me. My daily coffee fix is like connecting with a forever friend: reliable, exciting, comforting— always there for me.

After a sip or two of java juice, I tuned in to CNN and retrieved my e-mail. On this particular day, I got an idea. (It’s true. Coffee boosts brainpower and the creative process.) I e-mailed my book editor. My words were short and sweet: “Just thinking a tea book to go with the honey book seems like it would work well. What do you think?” His quick response: “Actually, I was thinking of a coffee book since coffee gets a bad rap. Is that a crazy idea?” I typed a one-line answer and clicked send. “Not at all. It was my second choice.” Like one coffee tree seed, this was the beginning of creating a book on coffee.

During the creation of The Healing Powers of Chocolate, I included a chapter titled “A Cuppa Coffee and Chocolat.” So, I wasn’t a stranger to coffee and its virtues, past and present-day. A while later I sent a follow-up e-mail to my editor. Blame it on the coffee and its caffeine, proven to increase alertness.

“Coffee may be hotter than tea and deserves attention,” I noted, and continued on as if I were creating the back cover of a book in progress. “Studies show it can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes; help reduce body fat and unwanted body weight—and increase longevity. Plus, coffee is used in health spa treatments and dozens of home cures and recipes. In moderation, coffee is another superfood and is teamed in cooking/baking with vinegar, olive oil, chocolate, and honey.”

As a West Coast native I felt a connection to the potential book topic. After all, I grew up during the Bohemian Beatnik era, which hit the San Francisco Bay Area, where I lived; and in Seattle, Washington, a place where the coffee giant Starbucks originated, growing into a trend that swept the nation and world. These days, coffee, a new health food, is popular for its multitude of coffee roasts, flavored coffees, organic coffee, specialty coffee drinks—hot and cold—and so much more.

It was no surprise that by mid-March the news arrived. The idea of writing a book about coffee and health had come full circle. While I was enjoying my morning cup of Starbucks’ Sumatra coffee I was notified by my editor, Richard Ember, that The Healing Powers of Coffee was to be my fifth Healing Powers book. I celebrated with a second cup of java juice.

Like vinegar, olive oil, chocolate, and honey, coffee is derived from nature. All five superfoods contain powerful antioxidants and boast versatile uses. The fascinating thing about my journey into the wide world of coffee is that I discovered that coffee is the second most popular commodity in the world.

So like a coffee tree, I began to flourish. The exciting part of my journey is that I discovered that coffee is more than just a beverage to wake up to in the morning. This time around, I’m enjoying a Kona coffee, a slice of gourmet coffee cake, and I just finished a coffee facial.

In The Healing Powers of Coffee I’ll show you how and why this natural beverage from tree to cup will open your eyes to the amazing powers of the coffee tree and its treasures to make your life more complete.