t is hard to know who first brewed the bean-like seeds of the tall tropical shrub (genus Coffee) of the madder plant family to

create that little cup of satisfaction that the world so adores, and depends on, called coffee.

The ancient Mayans brewed and drank a cocoa-coffee-like beverage, and coffee varieties were traditionally grown all over the world, from Latin America to the Near East.

So entrenched is coffee (believed to come from the Turkish word kahwe) in our daily lives that it has ceased to seem "exotic" to us. Today, the daily cup, (or cups) of "Joe" are so personally satisfying and vital to some individuals that they practically drool at the thought, eyes glazing over with anticipation.

Social coffee consumption came into modern-day Western consciousness with the opening of the first coffee house in England in the 18th century.

In 19th-century Paris, the cafe was such a primary theater of everyday life that historian A. Morand claimed "30,000 individuals would hang themselves on Sunday night if they (cafes) where closed, as in London."

Another cultural figure of the time, Willy, added, "To write the history of French cafes would be for all practical purposes to write the the history of France." In fact, cafes were so wildly popular that by the turn of the century there were 435,000 (twice the number of cafes today) in France, one for every 80 inhabitants.

From their earliest inception, coffee houses, or cafes, have attracted people looking for good conversation, political discussion, a place to read, or a quiet nook in which to study. The coffee houses that seem to be opening in greater number and flourishing here in Tucson fulfill much the same functions, as places where good conversation and coffee go together.

The choices available for the caffeine-inclined include old standards: Coffee Etc., Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Cafe Quebec, the B&B, The Cup Cafe; and new contenders: Cafe Milagro, Cafe Paraiso, The Lean Bean, Cuppucinos, The Rusty Lantern and Pony Espresso, to name a few closer to campus.

The difference between the coffee these places sell and the standard American beverage served at old diners can be encapsulated in one word: "espresso," the basis of all Italian-style coffee drinks.

Espresso (or more properly caffe espresso) refers to the concentrated, flavorful "essence" which is made through a rapid method of brewing using steam pressure, not gravity, to brew. The first espresso machines were invented nearly simultaneously in Turin and Milan, Italy in 1903.

The word espresso also refers to the blend of beans and the roast color of those beans, usually the lightest dark-roast, bittersweet chocolate brown in color.

Espresso is the base, add a little steamed and foamed milk and you have the backbone of Italian coffee culture, the Cappuccino (which was named after the hooded robes of the Capuchin friars, a Roman Catholic order). Add even more milk and you have a Caffe Latte. Espresso Con Panna is espresso with whipped cream; a Mocha is usually espresso, chocolate-mocha syrup, steamed milk and whipped cream. Caffe Americano is an almost-insulting, impotent mix of espresso and hot water. Macchiato is Italian for "spotted" or "marked," and therefore an Espresso Macchiato is espresso "marked" with a dollop of milk foam. "Doppio" is a double.

Take the above paragraph with you next time you are left sputtering in front of a cafe counter as your server begins to turn her nose ring in irritation.

Fancy coffee drinks are not restricted to cafe life, but are creeping into everyday establishments.

Marshall, the owner of Frank's Restaurant, 3843 E. PimaSt., had this to say when asked if he would ever trade in his drip coffee pots for an espresso machine, "I want one, and we are looking into buying one right now.

"We use a special coffee now, this isn't Folgers after all, but espresso is the way to go these days," he said. "Espresso would fit in with the eclectic style of the place."

"I don't think an espresso machine would change the image of the place," Marshall said. "They even have an espresso machine at McKale now."

Caffeine and its effect on health is a subject of more concern these days. Caffeine is a mild central nervous system stimulant to some, but not so mild to others.

Caffeine can be found naturally in over 60 species of plants and trees that have been cultivated by humans for centuries, in part because of their ability to increase alertness and the capacity for work. This is where students' caffeine use and abuse comes in.

Caffeine is routinely used in medications as an aid to pain relievers. It is also a vasal constrictor and may raise certain peoples' heart rates.

For most, moderate daily consumption of coffee poses no problems. Like most things, coffee is best used in moderation. Individual caffeine tolerance varies widely, but excessive consumption can cause sleep disturbance, nervousness or stomach upset.

Getting off caffeine can also be a problem, causing headaches and irritations in some try-ing to cut back on the black stuff.

According to Dr. William Ziarnik of the Student Health Center, coffee is generally not dangerous "unless taken in excess in pill form." And he has only seen "mild-to-moderate" cases of caffeine abuse in his student patients.

"But some people do come in because they are worried about their own level of coffee consumption."

Ziarnik states he is "more concerned about safe sex, seat-belt use, smoking and drug and alcohol use. Those are the real issues. Caffeine comes in after that."

Ziarnik does not drink coffee, but not for health reasons necessarily, "I don't like it," he said.

Some types of coffee do have more caffeine than others. Robusta coffee species contain more caffeine than Arabica coffees, but these can't be pegged down by geographical region. For example, most African coffees are Robusta, but Kenyan and Ethiopian are Arabica. Check with your coffee seller.

Because caffeine is tasteless and odorless it plays no part in coffee's flavor. So, no one is really missing out if they choose decaf. It is also important to keep in mind that strong-tasting coffee does not always contain more caffeine.

Melanie Paltow, manager of Cuppuncinos says the place attracts all types of people, especially students _ the truly caffeine dependent. Melanie says she has never had to act like a bartender and cut people off when they had too much. "Maybe some workers, but never customers."

When asked if she feels guilty feeding people caffeine she responded "No, I figure they can't really hurt themselves on coffee, they can't get pulled over for too much caffeine."

So, are tastes really changing in the old pueblo? Is coffee cul-ture here to stay, or just another fad of those trying to be hip? Within two years will we be found lounging on cafe terraces drinking capuccino and greeting each other with "ciao?" Maybe so.

Reporter K.C. Conner recently ventured to Seattle where she hung out at a lot of famous coffee houses and did research for this article. Read Next Article