By Teresa Te
Coffee is a universal language of the world. No matter where you are, people drink it. They drink it in different capacities, and some places enjoy it more often than others, but no matter where you are, if you ask for coffee, people are probably going to have it. It might be really bad. It might be the best you've ever had in your life. In any case, coffee has a way of bringing people together. It unifies all people of the world no matter their race, creed, culture, or belief system.
If you're a coffee lover like many others in the world, here are 3 places you have to have to enjoy a good, strong cup of jo:
The Northwest
Seattle is basically the coffee capital of the world. It's the home of Starbucks, so there is literally a Starbucks on every street corner, but it's also home to Stumptown coffee, as well, which is amazing.
The Northwest is home to some of the most avid coffee drinkers in the world, so people are freaks about roasting their own beans, growing things organic, cold pressing their coffee, and experimenting with it to make it smooth and not bitter, among other things. If you love coffee, you have to go to the Northwest. It's a necessity. Visit Seattle and Portland specifically.
Rome, Italy
Despite the romance that the city emanates, Rome is an amazing place to be if you love coffee. Italians are crazy about their espresso. They drink it straight, it has to be perfectly made, and they always take a sip of club soda after their shot to cleanse the palette. It's an experience in Rome. Every cafe that you visit is going to have an amazing experience for you to try, so you better wear comfortable shoes because you're going to have to get used to walking from establishment to establishment to get your fill.
Ethiopia
Where other places in the world simply buy their beans from other sources and roast them on site, Ethiopia is special because it's a place where the beans are actually grown. There is something special about traveling to a place, picking and processing the beans for yourself, seeing what goes into making a cup of coffee, and then being able to drink it that gives you a new passion for coffee and a new appreciation for it as well.
A cup of coffee is not a simple thing to make. It must be treated with care and respect. Once you visit the places that have an appreciation for it in different measures, you can officially count yourself among the coffee connoisseurs.
