SC - Medieval Coffee

[CBlackwill at aol.com]

List,

Whilst stumbling around Amazon.com the other day, I came across a book 
entitled 'Coffee and Cofeehouses" which, according to the blurb and editorial 
reviews, traces the history of coffee consumption in the Near Middle East in 
medieval times.  I was wondering if anyone on the list (Cariadoc, Suleman??) 
has had a chance to look at this book, and can tell me if it is worth picking 
up.  Being an avid coffee drinker (two pots before work, and about three 
while I'm there), I would like to have some kind of documentation to help 
support my habit at events :)  I have read numerous third and fourth hand 
accounts of medieval coffee consumption in the Middle East in period, but 
nothing I would consider "documentable" since they don't give primary source 
references.  One "fact" which makes me doubt the authenticity of some of 
these claims is the reference to salted coffee being consumed regularly in 
the middle ages, and into modern times.  While I have heard this from a few 
sources, all of the truly Midle Eastern people I know say they have never 
heard of this.  Any reviews of the book (or similar ones) would be 
appreciated.

Balthazar of Blackmoor
(a roving ambassador of The Coffee Generation)

Mr. Wizard, what happens when you combine pasta and antipasta?