A little something that Sandro unearthed on CIX!

NB! Updated 9th July 2001)

One of our readers has just pointed out to us that this article is in fact copyright:

-----Original Message-----
From: *******, SUSAN [mailto:***********]
Sent: 05 July 2001 20:08
To: 'webmaster@eatanddrink.co.uk'
Subject: Luwak Coffee
In looking for more information about this astonishing product, I noticed that your site quotes an article by Dave Barry originally titled "Plain coffee becoming extinct." However, the page ( http://www.eatanddrink.co.uk/articles/Luwak_Coffee.asp ) doesn't include the title or the name of the author. The original article can be found here as well: http://www.baylor.edu/Lariat/Archives/1997/19971113/07_barry.html .

Thank you,

Sue

----------------------------

I have researched this, and the page mentioned has:

(C) 1997 THE MIAMI HERALD

So, many thanks to Dave Barry, and to the Miami Herald. I have removed the article from here, because I haven't the time to arrange permissions. Suffice to say that it's worth following this link (and the others presented below) to what some people assume is just another bit of urban mythology.

However, I have done some further research, and there is sufficient material out there to make me think again...

About.com has this...http://www.about.com/culture/urbanlegends/library/weekly/aa101498.htm

MIT has this...http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/shivers/luwak.html

CoffeeFaq debunks it somewhat with...http://www.coffeefaq.com/coffaq6.htm#Kopi

Zoom! 1977 says "Civet Cat Emptor"!!! at...http://www.telepath.com/zoom/sept4.htm

The Coffee Critic is not so critical at...http://www.thecoffeecritic.com/fusion3/html/kopi.shtml

You might like to exercise your brain by checking out the suggestions here...http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/target/technology/secondary/fact_fiction/index.html - a site describing how to sort the wheat from the chaff!

Another doubter at...http://natzoo.si.edu/coffee.htm

At about this stage, my research starts to get wierd, following links which discuss eating ones own faeces, and whether...well let's not go there!!!

Much as I love coffee, my budget doesn't even extend to Jamaica Blue Mountain - a coffee I have tried twice only - the first time was exquisite, the second a big disappointment.

Sandro

P.S. Well, allright, I couldn't resist just one more link - "The Straight Dope" sounds authoritative enough with...http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010525.html