当浓浓的黑咖啡那原始粗犷的苦味在唇齿间辗转徘徊时，我终于知道：咖啡，和以往我喝的任何一种饮料都不同，它是苦的。
Ice Cream's History 冰淇淋的历史
◎Ed Grabianowski
The earliest reports of people enjoying flavored ice desserts come from the Romans and the Chinese.Marco Polo returned from his famous expedition with fruit-flavored ices,reporting that Asians had been making them for thousands of years.These delicacies became popular in France in the 1500s,but only among royalty.Over the next few centuries,the process of making them evolved from hauling mountain ice to salt/ice freezing methods.Cream was introduced as an ingredient,and by the 1700s,people were enjoying a dessert that was very similar to today's ice cream.
The hand-cranked ice cream freezer was first developed by Nancy Johnson in 1846.Ice was readily available from large warehouses in that era,so ice cream became a treat that could be enjoyed by almost anyone,not just the rich.Ice cream making was revolutionized again in 1851,when Jacob Fussel started the first wholesale ice cream manufacturing operation in Baltimore,Maryland.Fussel's dairy business had excess cream and he couldn't figure out what to do with it.He tried using it to make ice cream,and before long his ice cream business outsold the rest of the dairy.
The business slowly evolved for the next few decades.Manufacturing methods and ingredients improved,while refrigeration technology became cheaper and more efficient.By the 1920s,home refrigerators and freezers became more common,which gave the ice cream industry another boost.Sugar was rationed in the US during World War I,but the ice cream industry convinced the government that ice cream was an"essential food".Ice cream factories were allotted sugar rations and production continued.
Ice cream increased in popularity until the Depression years caused a drop in sales for virtually all non-essential goods.Sales increased in the years leading up to World War II before leveling off in the post-war years.The rise of the giant supermarket created demand for cheaper,mass-produced ice cream,but quality suffered.The 1960s saw a resurgence in"premium"ice cream,while the following decades saw the market fragment into low-fat varieties for the health-conscious,including frozen yogurt,fruit bars,ice milk,fat-free ice cream,and dozens of other varieties.However,ice cream still makes up about 60 percent of the market share among frozen desserts.While ice cream is enjoyed worldwide,it has become an American tradition.
根据史料记载，最早享用风味冰制甜点的是罗马人和中国人。马可·波罗完成他著名的游历后，满载果味冰品而归，称亚洲人做这些的历史已有数千年。早在16世纪，这种美食就已经风靡法国，不过只限于王室内部。在接下来的几个世纪里，人们发明了盐水冰冻法，制作冰甜点不再需要从高山上凿冰。之后，奶油也成为一种制作原料，到18世纪时，人们享用的冰制甜点已经和今天的冰淇淋非常接近。1846年，南希·约翰逊发明了手摇冰淇淋冷冻机。那个时代的冰块来自大型冷库，随取随用，冰淇淋因此成为大众美食，而不是富人独享的奢侈品。1851年，雅各布·福赛尔在马里兰州巴尔的摩市首次批量生产冰淇淋，制作工艺再次革新。福赛尔的奶制品工厂生产的奶油过剩，他一时间不知怎么办，便尝试使用这些奶油制作冰淇淋，不久以后，他的冰淇淋销量竟超过了其他奶制品。在接下来的几十年里，冰淇淋产业日渐成熟。生产方式和制作原料不断改进，制冷技术也变得更便宜更高效。到20世纪20年代，家用冰箱和冰柜更为普及，推动冰淇淋产业再次崛起。第一次世界大战期间，糖在美国是定量配给的，冰淇淋行业协会说服政府冰淇淋是一种“必备食品”，冰淇淋工厂由此获得食糖配额，生产才得以继续。经济大萧条之前，冰淇淋日益普及，销量一路上扬，但大萧条的到来导致非必需品的销量一落千丈，几乎无一幸免。第二次世界大战爆发前的那几年，冰淇淋销量开始有所好转，战后几年则趋于平稳。大型超市的出现，为价格更低廉、大批量生产的冰淇淋创造了市场需求，但冰淇淋的品质却受到了影响。20世纪60年代，“优质”冰淇淋东山再起，接下来的几十年，冰淇淋市场细分出各种专为追求健康的人士打造的低脂系列产品，包括冰冻酸奶、水果条、牛奶冻、脱脂冰淇淋和其他数十个种类。但传统冰淇淋仍然占去冰冻甜点60%的市场份额。全世界都在享用的冰淇淋，在美国已然成为一种传统。
美丽语录
The ice cream mixes the sweetest and purest wish of a girl,and the bike carries the most conspicuous and fervent dream of a boy.Love will be aroused as soon as this most romantic factor adds to the simplest element.
冰淇淋融合了少女最甜蜜和最纯净的期盼，单车则承载了少年最张扬和最热烈的梦想。最浪漫的因子加上最简单的元素，怎能不碰撞出美妙的爱情？
Pizza:What You Do Not Know 比萨：你不知道的事
◎Helen Davies
Just hearing the word"pizza"brings a smile to the face of just about every American.Whatever style or variety—from thick,Chicago-style deep-dish pizza stuffed with gobs of cheese,sausage,and pepperoni to a thin-as-a-cracker crust topped with veggies—pizza invariably makes it to the top of"favorite food"lists.
Here,we've compiled a list of fun and interesting facts about this American food icon.See how many you knew!
1.Since 1987,October has been officially designated National Pizza Month in the United States.
2.Approximately three billion pizzas are sold in the United States every year,plus an additional one billion frozen pizzas.
3.Pizza is a$30 billion industry in the United States.
4.Pizzerias represent 17 percent of all US restaurants.
5.Ninety-three percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a month.
6.Women are twice as likely as men to order vegetarian toppings on their pizza.
7.About 36 percent of all pizzas contain pepperoni,making it the most popular topping in the United States.
8.The first known pizzeria,Antica Pizzeria,opened in Naples,Italy,in 1738.
9.More pizza is consumed during the week of the Super Bowl than any other time of the year.
10.On average,each person in the United States eats around 23 pounds of pizza every year.
11.The first pizzeria in the United States was opened by Gennaro Lombardi in 1895 in New York City.
12.The record for the world's largest pizza depends on how you slice it.According to Guinness World Records,the record for the world's largest circular pizza was set at Norwood Hypermarket in South Africa in 1990.The gigantic pie measured 122 feet 8 inches across,weighed 26,883 pounds,and contained 9,920 pounds of flour,3,968 pounds of cheese,and 1,984 pounds of sauce.In 2005,the record for the world's largest rectangular pizza was set in Iowa Falls,Iowa.Pizza restaurant owner Bill Bahr and a team of 200 helpers created the 129 X 98.6-foot pizza from 4,000 pounds of cheese,700 pounds of sauce,and 9,500 sections of crust.The enormous pie was enough to feed the town's 5,200 residents ten slices of pizza each.
只要听到“比萨”这两个字，美国人几乎个个都会眉开眼笑。样式和品种都不重要，无论是腊肉肠和意式香肠为主馅、配以足量芝士的芝加哥式厚盘比萨，还是田园蔬菜为主馅的薄脆比萨，比萨总是位列“最喜爱的食物”榜单之首。在这里，我们整理了一张有关这一美国“国宝级”食物的趣味榜单。看看你知道多少！1.从1987年开始，10月正式被指定为美国“国家比萨月”。2.美国每年大约售出30亿个比萨，外加10亿个冷冻比萨。3.在美国，比萨是产值高达300亿美元的行业。4.全美17%的餐馆是比萨店。5.93%的美国人每月至少吃一次比萨。6.点比萨时要求主馅为蔬菜的人当中，女人是男人的两倍。7.最受欢迎的比萨配料当属意式香肠，大约36%的比萨采用了这种配料。8.1738年，第一家已知的比萨店安提卡在意大利那不勒斯开业。9.在“全美橄榄球超级杯赛”那周卖出的比萨数量全年最多。10.平均来说，美国人均每年吃掉大约23磅的比萨。11.根纳罗·隆巴尔迪于1895年在纽约开了美国第一家比萨店。12.世界最大的比萨记录由你的切法决定。根据《吉尼斯世界记录》，1990年，世界最大的圆形比萨诞生在南非的诺伍德大型超级市场，这个巨型馅饼直径122英尺8英寸、重达26883磅，使用了9920磅面粉、3968磅芝士和1984磅比萨酱。2005年，世界上最大的矩形比萨诞生在爱荷华州的爱荷华瀑布，这个长129英尺、宽98.6英尺的矩形比萨，由比萨店店主比尔·巴尔和200个助手共同制作完成，使用了4000磅芝士、700磅比萨酱和9500块馅饼皮，这个巨型馅饼足以喂饱全镇5200个居民，每人可以分到10片之多。
文化小课堂
比萨是我们起源不详的食品之一。将各种馅料放在面包饼上制作的食品最远可追溯到古罗马时期。在路边能看到越来越多比萨饼店的今天，比如“必胜客”、“棒约翰”，相信大家在吃比萨的时候，都未曾意识到它在美国人心目中的至高地位。
Afternoon Tea 悠然闲适尽在下午茶
◎Madelyn Miller
High tea,a term often confused with afternoon tea,usually takes the place of supper.During the Industrial Revolution,working class families would return home tired and exhausted.The table would be set with dinner foods like meat,bread,butter,potatoes,cheese and of course tea.It was termed"high tea"because it was eaten at a high dining table rather than a low tea table.
Afternoon tea(because it was usually taken in the late afternoon)is also called"low tea"as it is served at a low table.Since this wasn't a meal,but rather like a late afternoon snack meant to stave off hunger,finger foods were the common fare.Tiny,dainty sandwiches,scones and pastries were served with afternoon tea.Finger foods afforded one the opportunity to take a petite bite and easily maintain a conversation.This is most important,as one is not merely taking tea to gain nourishment or satisfy hunger,but to take time to relax,converse and enjoy the company of dear friends.In England,the traditional time for tea was four o'clock or five o'clock in the afternoon and no one stayed after seven o'clock.
In 1662,King Charles II of England married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza who brought with her,as part of her dowry,a small chest of tea.As the new queen,Catherine began the serving of tea to her friends at court.
Although there is mention of"five o'clock tea"in France in the 17th century,the credit for the invention of"Afternoon Tea"is given to Anna Russell,duchess of Bedford who,during the long gap between an early breakfast and very late dinner,experienced what she called"a sinking feeling"at about 4 or 5 in the afternoon.She asked her maid to bring her a pot of tea,a little bread and butter and cake in her room.She found this arrangement so agreeable that she began asking her friends to join her.
“茶餐”的英文直译为“高茶”（high tea），不少人误以为是下午茶，但其实常常相当于晚餐。工业革命期间，工薪家庭的成员回到家时往往已经筋疲力尽，晚餐时就会摆上一桌子的肉、面包、黄油、土豆和奶酪，当然还有茶。之所以称之为“高茶”，是因为相对放置于低矮茶几上的普通茶点，“茶餐”通常要摆在高高的餐桌上享用。“下午茶”通常是傍晚时分在低矮茶几上享用，故又称为“低茶”。“下午茶”不是正餐，而更像傍晚时分用来解饿的小吃，常常搭配美味的迷你三明治、司康饼和酥皮糕点这类手抓小点心。有了这些手抓小吃，人们就可以小口地品尝美食，也不用担心耽搁聊天了。这点十分重要，因为人们喝茶的主要目的并不是摄取营养或果腹充饥，而是为了偷得浮生半日闲，享受与亲朋好友相聚交谈的快乐时光。在英国，传统的下午茶时间是下午4、5点钟，7点之后便不会再有人喝下午茶了。1662年，英格兰国王查理二世迎娶了葡萄牙布拉干萨王朝的凯瑟琳公主，她带来的嫁妆中就有一小箱茶叶。作为新任皇后，凯瑟琳开始在宫廷里和朋友一起享用下午茶。尽管在17世纪的法国就有“五时茶”的说法了，但“下午茶”的发明还是要归功于波德福公爵夫人安娜·拉塞尔。在早餐和晚餐之间的漫长时光里，按公爵夫人自己的话来说就是，在下午4、5点钟，她会有“一种下沉的感觉”。有一次，她命女仆送一壶茶、一点黄油面包和蛋糕到她的房间，享用完之后顿觉神清气爽，于是开始邀请朋友们一起前来享用。
文化小课堂
上班族的午餐常常吃得太匆忙，一顿下午茶不仅能赶走瞌睡虫，还可以帮助人们保持充沛的精力直到晚餐。下午茶很是时髦。不同的地方，下午茶的习惯和茶点类别也不同。在世界许多地区下午茶由来已久，在国内则以广东和福建地区最为盛行。
Why Need To Light Candles on Birthday Cake 生日蛋糕上为什么要点蜡烛
◎Anonymous
Thousands of years ago birthdays were considered a time when the bad spirits as opposed to the good spirits were able to harm you as this day changed a person's life.It was believed that the only way to keep the bad spirits at bay was to have your friends and family around you so that their good wishes and present giving would keep them at bay.
Also noisemakers are thought to be used at parties as a way of scaring away the evil spirits.
The custom of lighting candles originated with people believing that the gods lived in the sky and by lighting candles and torches they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods so they could be answered.When you blow out the candles and make a wish,this is another way of sending a signal and a message.
The candles in the cake represent life,burning brightly for a short time and then snuffed out.The person blowing out the candles is saying,"This much of my life is over—I'll never get it back,but I still have the breath of life within me and I am in control.I will blow away the past and start anew with this wish."
文化小课堂
古希腊的人们庆祝月亮女神的生日时，要在圣坛上摆着插有蜡烛的蛋糕。他们相信燃烧着的蜡烛具有神秘的力量。如果孩子许下心愿，并一口气吹灭所有的蜡烛，便能如愿以偿。因此，这一习俗流传至今。
数千年前，人们认为生日是可以改变人一生的日子，与善灵为敌的恶灵也会专挑这一天来伤害人。而唯一能让恶灵退避三舍的方法，就是邀请亲朋好友相伴左右，他们所送上的祝福和礼物，恰能阻止恶灵靠近。在派对上还可以大声欢呼来吓退恶灵。点蜡烛的习俗源自人们的信念，他们认为神明高高在上，点亮蜡烛和火炬就相当于向神明发送了信号或祈祷，神明便可以加以回应，而吹灭蜡烛许愿则是另一个发送信号和讯息的方法。蛋糕上的蜡烛代表生命，火光明亮，但转瞬即被掐灭。吹灭蜡烛的人边吹蜡烛边说：“过去的都已过去，不会重来，但生活在继续，我的生命我做主，就让过去随蜡烛而灭，我也带着新的希望踏上一段新的人生旅程。”
美丽语录
This much of my life is over—I'll never get it back,but I still have the breath of life within me and I am in control.I will blow away the past and start anew with this wish.
过去的都已过去，不会重来，但生活在继续，我的生命我做主，就让过去随蜡烛而灭，我也带着新的希望踏上一段新的人生旅程。
What Is the World's Most Popular Fruit 世界上最受欢迎的水果
◎James Scherrer
The tomato is the world's most popular fruit.More than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced per year,16 million tons more than the second most popular fruit,the banana.Apples are the third most popular(36 million tons),then oranges(34 million tons)and watermelons(22 million tons).
Tomatoes were first cultivated in 700 AD by Aztecs and Incas.Explorers returning from Mexico introduced the tomato into Europe,where it was first mentioned in 1556.The French called it"the apple of love,"the Germans"the apple of paradise."
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and fibre,and are cholesterol free.An average size tomato(148 gram or 5 oz)boasts only 35 calories.Furthermore,new medical research suggests that the consumption of lycopene—the stuff that makes tomatoes red—may prevent cancer.Lycopene is part of the family of pigments called carotenoids,which are natural compounds that create the colors of fruits and vegetables.For example,beta carotene is the orange pigment in carrots.As with essential amino acids,they are not produced by the human body.Lycopene is the most powerful antioxidant in the carotenoid family and,with vitamins C and E,protect us from the free radicals that degrade many parts of the body.
The scientific term for the common tomato is lycopersicon lycopersicum,which mean"wolf peach."It is a cousin of the eggplant,red pepper,ground cherry,potato,and the highly toxic belladonna,also known as the nightshade or solanaccae.There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.
Tomatoes are used in many food product,including,of course,tomato sauce(ketchup),pasta and pizza.According to a Steel Packing Council survey of 1997,68%of chefs use canned tomatoes for convenience,quality and flavoring.
番茄是世界上最受欢迎的水果。番茄的年产量高达6000多万吨，第二受欢迎的水果香蕉年产量比番茄少1600万吨。第三受欢迎的是年产量3600万吨的苹果，紧接其后的是年产3400万吨的橙子和年产2200万吨的西瓜。公元700年，阿兹特克人和印加人率先种植番茄。据史书记载，1556年，探险家从墨西哥返回后将番茄引进欧洲。法国人称之为“爱情苹果”，德国人称之为“天堂苹果”。番茄不含胆固醇，富含维生素A、维生素C和纤维。普通大小（148克或5盎司）的番茄仅有35卡路里的热量。此外，新近医学研究表明，摄入番茄红素可以防癌。番茄红素是促使番茄变红的物质，与类胡萝卜素同属一个色素家族，此类色素都是天然复合物，能使水果蔬菜呈现颜色。比如，β胡萝卜素就是胡萝卜中的橙色色素。和必需氨基酸一样，人体本身不能合成这些色素。番茄红素是类胡萝卜素家族中最强大的抗氧化剂，连同维生素C和维生素E，保护着人体免受自由基的损害，防止身体各部位的老化。番茄的学名为lycopersicon lycopersicum，意为“狼桃”，与茄子、红辣椒、醋栗、土豆、高毒性颠茄同族，也被称作茄属或茄科植物。番茄共有一万多个品种。番茄用于制造多种食品，番茄酱理所当然包括在内，其他的还有意大利面和比萨。根据1997年罐头包装委员会的一项调查，68%的主厨都会使用更方便、更优质、更美味的罐装番茄。
文化小课堂
每个人的心里都有自己最喜欢的水果，不过，有一样水果是全世界最多人喜欢的！它有“长寿果”的美名，含丰富维生素和矿物质元素，抗氧化能力极佳，具防癌降压、润肤美白之功效。知道它是什么吗？
Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes 为什么甜甜圈中间有个洞
◎Christina Grimme
The question as to why doughnuts have holes has been raised by dozens of bakers over the years,but most agree that the answer to this sticky question lies in the fact that the interior of these fried cakes would not cook fully without a hole in the center.In short,the consistency of a doughnut lacking a hole would be,quite simply,doughy.
Another riveting theory as to the origin of the bull's eye in the doughnut holds that a sea captain named Hanson Gregory,while manning his post one stormy night,found it impossible both to steer his vessel and to eat his fried cake.Out of sheer frustration,and probably out of hunger,he impaled his cake over one of the spokes of the ship's wheel,thereby creating a finger hold with which to grip the cake.Quite pleased with his ingenuity,Mr.Gregory ordered the galley's cook to fry the cakes in that manner henceforth.
Whatever the reason for the hole in the doughnut,this fried cake,with or without a hole,has been incorporated into the diets of people throughout the world for centuries.In fact,archaeologists found petrified fried cakes with holes amongst the artifacts of a primitive Indian tribe.
Many credit Dutch settlers to America with introducing the non-holed olykoeks,or"oily cakes,"to this continent,and with their subsequent popularity.
There is no disputing the fact that the fried cake became the rage in New York and in New England,and that before long,it became the specialty of coffee shops.Fried cakes came into their own in 1673,when a self-made New York marketing guru,Anna Joralemon,made their purchase at the market possible.
To this day,doughnuts,in any shape or form,remain married in our minds to coffee and police officers,and are here to stay.
多年来，许多面包师都存在这样一个疑问：为什么甜甜圈中间会有个洞呢？这个问题很难回答，但公认的答案是：如果不挖个洞，这种油炸蛋糕的内部就不能炸透。简单来说，没有小洞的甜甜圈中间厚边缘薄，吃起来会半生不熟。关于甜甜圈中间那个洞的起源，还有一个引人入胜的说法。相传有个名叫汉森·格里高利的航海船长，在一个风雨交加的夜晚，正在工作的他发现没法边掌舵边吃油炸蛋糕。或许因为饥饿的关系，他的心情非常沮丧，一气之下就把蛋糕朝船舵的辐条压去，蛋糕上面便出现了一个手指粗细的洞，这样他就可以稳稳地拿住蛋糕了。格里高利先生对自己的小创意非常得意，于是命令船上的厨师以后都照那个样子油炸蛋糕。不管甜甜圈上的小洞是什么来历，也不管中间有没有洞，几个世纪以来，这种油炸蛋糕早已融入全世界人们的日常饮食当中。事实上，考古学家在一堆原始印第安人部落的史前器物里发现了带洞的油炸蛋糕化石。不带洞的“油蛋糕”能够引进美洲大陆并风靡全美，很多人都认为应归功于早期移居美国的荷兰人。众所周知，油炸蛋糕之后在纽约和新英格兰掀起一阵狂潮，不久便登堂入室成为咖啡店里的招牌甜点。油炸蛋糕真正开始热卖是在1673年，一名白手起家的纽约集市小贩安娜·乔拉雷蒙首次在集市出售油炸蛋糕。时至今日，我们依旧会将造型各异的甜甜圈和咖啡、警察联系在一起，甜甜圈会陪伴我们到永远！
文化小课堂
在美国，吃甜甜圈的警察是一个经典形象。甜甜圈的中间都有一个洞，所以汉语中我们把它叫做圈饼。这个洞到底是怎么来的呢？有人说，这是面包师傅们为了防止面饼炸不熟而弄的；也有人说这个洞是一位船长灵机一动的创举。不论原因如何，这个洞的风行却是事实。
Coffee Culture 咖啡文化
◎Alex
"Give me a decaf triple venti,2 pump vanilla,non-fat,extra hot,stirred,no foam caramel macchiato with whip cream and caramel sauce top and bottom."
If you happen to be standing in one of the ubiquitous Starbucks or Coffee Bean chains in the US,chances are pretty good you might hear someone order something like this.The advent of big business coffee powerhouses like Starbucks has transformed coffee-drinking into an extremely popular and profitable industry that is quickly spreading across the globe.Like other successful consumer-oriented businesses with a stranglehold on modern culture(iPod and Google come to mind),big coffeehouse businesses have made their product increasingly user-friendly,highly customizable,and readily accessible to people all around the world.
Coffee has a history dating back to at least the 9th century and has been a catalyst for social interaction across cultures and eras.Originally discovered in Ethiopia,coffee beans were brought into the Middle East by Arab traders,spreading to Egypt,Yemen,Persia,Turkey,and North Africa by the 15th century.Muslim merchants eventually brought the beans to the thriving port city of Venice,where they sold them to wealthy Italian buyers.Soon,the Dutch began importing and growing coffee in places like Java and Ceylon(largely through slave labor),and the British East India Trading Company was popularizing the beverage in England.Coffee spread across Europe and even reached America.
Where there has been coffee,there has been the coffeehouse.From the 15th century Middle Eastern establishments where men gathered to listen to music,play chess,and hear recitations from works of literature,to Paris'Cafe le Procope where luminaries of the French Enlightenment such as Voltaire,Rousseau,and Diderot came to enjoy a hot cup of Joe,coffeehouses have traditionally served as centers of social interaction,places where people can come to relax,chat,and exchange ideas.
The modern coffee shop is modeled on the espresso and pastry-centered Italian coffeehouses that arose with the establishment of Italian-American immigrant communities in major US cities such as New York City's Little Italy and Greenwich Village,Boston's North End,and San Francisco's North Beach.New York coffee shops were often frequented by the Beats in the 1950's.It wasn't long before Seattle and other parts of the Pacific Northwest were developing coffee shops as part of a thriving counterculture scene.The Seattle-based Starbucks took this model and brought it into mainstream culture.
Although coffeehouses today continue to serve their traditional purpose as lively social hubs in many communities,they have noticeably adapted to the times.Rediscovering their purpose as centers of information exchange and communication,many coffee shops now provide their customers with internet access and newspapers.It has become extremely common to see someone sitting at a Starbucks listening to music or surfing the web on his or her laptop.Coffee stores today also maintain a fairly identifiable,yet unique aesthetic:wooden furniture and plush couches,paintings and murals drawn on walls,and soft-lighting combine to give coffee shops the cozy feeling of a home away from home.
Today,big business retail coffee shops are expanding quickly all over the world.Starbucks alone has stores in over 40 countries and plans to add more.Despite its popularity,Starbucks has been criticized and labeled by many as a blood-sucking corporate machine,driving smaller coffee shops out of business through unfair practices.This has even spawned an anti-corporate coffee counterculture,with those subscribing to this culture boycotting big business coffee chains.Increasingly popular coffee stores such as The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf are also giving Starbucks some stiff competition.In any case,it seems pretty clear that coffee has weaved itself into the fabric of our consumer-oriented culture.
Coffee,it would seem,is more than just a drink.From early on after its inception,coffee has been tied closely with cultural trends and has been indicative of important periods in history.It was poured into the cups of the giants of the French Enlightenment as they changed the course of human thought,it was placed on the backs of Brazilian slaves in the era of Imperialism,it's fragrance was in the air as Beat poets like Kerouac and Ginsberg wrote of their alienation,and it is here now as the world continues to change in this era of technology and globalization.So the next time you enjoy your latte or your ice-cold caramel frappuccino,appreciate the fact that you are connected to countless numbers of people spanning many different cultures and eras through your love of that wondrous beverage:coffee.
“给我来一杯三倍浓缩、两份香草、低咖啡因的超大杯无泡脱脂焦糖玛奇朵咖啡，需要高温混匀，再淋上焦糖跟奶油。”星巴克或香啡缤咖啡连锁店在美国随处可见，如果你碰巧在店里，就会听到有人这样点单。类似星巴克这种大型咖啡连锁店的出现，已经把喝咖啡包装成一种高利润大众产业，并在全球范围内迅速推广。就像那些消费导向型的成功企业，比如我们马上想到的iPod和谷歌，时刻左右着现代文化的走向，大型咖啡连锁店的产品越来越便利、越来越个性化，同时也越来越适宜在全世界推广。咖啡的历史至少可以追溯到9世纪，当时咖啡是跨文化跨时代、促进社会交流的催化剂。咖啡豆最初发现于埃塞俄比亚，后经阿拉伯商人传至中东地区，时至15世纪，便已遍及埃及、也门、波斯、土耳其及北非各国。穆斯林商贩接着把咖啡豆传到了繁荣的港口城市威尼斯，卖给意大利的有钱人。不久，荷兰人开始进口咖啡豆，并在爪哇和锡兰等地种植，劳力基本上都是奴隶。大不列颠东印度贸易公司将咖啡饮料在英格兰普及开来。随后，咖啡传遍欧洲，甚至远达美洲。哪里有咖啡，哪里就有咖啡馆。从15世纪中东地区的人们聚在一起听音乐、下棋、听述文学作品的公共场所，到法国启蒙运动时期诸如伏尔泰、卢梭、狄德罗这种赫赫有名的大人物品尝热咖啡的巴黎普洛科普咖啡馆，足见咖啡馆自古就是人们休闲、聊天、交流思想的社交中心。现代咖啡馆的模式源自主营浓缩咖啡和油酥点心的意大利咖啡馆，随着意大利裔移民社区在美国各大城市的建立，这种咖啡厅也陆续落户于纽约的小意大利、格林尼治村、波斯顿的北端和旧金山的北滩区等地。20世纪50年代，纽约咖啡馆成为“垮掉的一代”常常光顾的地方。不久之后，西雅图和太平洋西北岸其他地区咖啡馆的也蓬勃发展起来，为欣欣向荣的反主流文化大潮推波助澜。源自西雅图的星巴克借鉴了这一模式，把咖啡馆引入主流文化。尽管今天的咖啡馆在很多地方依旧扮演着社交活动中心的传统角色，但显而易见，它们一直在与时俱进。现在的许多咖啡店又重新成为信息交换和思想交流中心，为顾客提供网络服务和报刊杂志。在星巴克里听歌或者用笔记本电脑上网，似乎已经成了司空见惯的现象。今天的咖啡店仍然保持着一种易于辨识且独具特色的审美品味：木质的家具，松软的沙发，墙上的油画和壁画，再加上柔和的灯光，为整个咖啡馆营造出一种居家般的温馨氛围。今天，大型零售咖啡店正在全球迅速扩张，仅星巴克一家就在全球40多个国家设立了分店，同时还在筹划开设更多的分店。星巴克尽管十分流行，但常被人们贴上“吸血机器”的标签，人们对他们通过不公平竞争挤兑小型咖啡店的行为诟病不已。这些批判之声甚至形成一股反企业咖啡的反主流风潮，支持者们大力抵制大型商业咖啡连锁店。再加上，香啡缤和茶叶这类咖啡店越来越受大众欢迎，也对星巴克构成了强有力的竞争。无论如何，咖啡显然已经融入我们的消费主义文化，并成为了其不可分割的一部分。咖啡似乎不再只是单纯的饮料了。咖啡刚一出现，就和文化潮流紧密相连，成为历史重要时期的表征之一。法国启蒙运动时期，文学巨匠们改变人类思想轨迹时，杯子里斟满的是咖啡；帝国主义时期，压弯巴西奴隶们背脊的是咖啡；垮掉派诗人凯鲁亚克、金斯伯格书写他们的离经叛道时，空气中弥漫的也是咖啡的香气；即便是在科技和全球化不断改变着世界的今日，见证这一切的还是咖啡。因此，当你下次享用拿铁或冰焦糖星冰乐时，请想象一下，你正与诸多跨文化跨时代的伟人沟通交流，而这种美妙的体验，正来自你对咖啡这种神奇饮料的热爱。
文化小课堂
咖啡一词源自希腊语Kaweh，意思是“力量与热情”。非洲是咖啡的故乡。世界各地的人们越来越爱喝咖啡，随之而来的“咖啡文化”则充满生活的每个时刻。走进原木搭建的咖啡小屋，选择靠窗的一隅，品着咖啡：它逐渐与时尚、现代生活联系在一起。
Why Should We Send Valentine's Day Chocolate 情人节为什么要送巧克力
◎Gabriel Keith Harris
Chocolate is almost synonymous with Valentine's Day,but it's doubtful that Saint Valentine even tasted it.During the martyr's lifetime in third-century Rome,chocolate was still limited to native South America.
Today chocolate is enjoyed by people the world over,with some 2.3 billion pounds of chocolate consumed in America each year.That amounts to 10.8 pounds per person.
The gift of chocolate
Legend has it that chocolate was a gift of the gods.The cacao tree was supposedly brought to mankind by Quetzalcoatl,the Aztec god who taught mortals how to make a drink from it.
Giving someone chocolates still carries a wealth of meaning.The custom even has royal approval,ever since 1900 when Queen Victoria sent special tins of chocolate to soldiers in the Boer War to wish them a happy New Year.
And of course chocolate often sends a message of love,whether it's a gift-wrapped box for Mother's Day or a Valentine's present of heart-shaped truffles.
Chocolate,love and sex
French doctors prescribed chocolate to women patients for a broken heart.
Chocolate has long been associated with love.At one time,nuns were forbidden to eat it because of its sexual reputation.Casanova is believed to have thought of hot chocolate as the"elixir of love".And in the 18th century,French doctors prescribed chocolate to women patients for a broken heart.
Science may hold a clue—chocolate contains a substance called phenylethylamine,a naturally occurring chemical in the brain which promotes feelings of euphoria associated with being in love.It also contains a variety of other substances which may help create a feeling of well-being.
Do you know?
That same 100 grams of chocolate also contains 5 milligrams of methylxanthine and 160 milligrams of theo-bromine,both caffeine-like stimulants.When taken in large quantities,these stimulants can induce nausea and vomiting—a good reason to limit your Valentine's Day nibbling to a few chocolates.
Meanwhile,Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and other pets,and can even be lethal.Don't give it to your dog.Theobromine is toxic to dogs,and one ounce of chocolate could kill a 10-pound canine.
巧克力几乎是情人节的同义词，情人节直译为“圣·瓦伦丁诺的纪念日”，但圣·瓦伦丁诺本人是否尝过巧克力，尚无定论。3世纪的罗马，在这位殉道者的有生之年，巧克力仍然仅存在于南美土著部落。今天，全世界的人们都可以享受到巧克力的美味，美国每年消费的巧克力都可高达23亿磅之重，相当于10.8磅的人均年消耗量。巧克力：送礼首选巧克力据说是神的馈赠。阿兹特克人崇拜的羽蛇神不仅赐给人类可可树，还教导人类如何用可可调配饮料。赠送巧克力还包含着丰富的含义。1900年，维多利亚女王将几罐巧克力赠与参与波尔战争的士兵，恭祝他们新年快乐。自此以后，送巧克力的风俗就得到了皇室的认可。当然，无论是母亲节的巧克力精美礼盒，还是情人节的心形松露巧克力，作为礼物送出的同时，还会传达一份真挚的爱意。巧克力、爱情与性法国医生曾为失恋心碎的女病人开出巧克力药方。巧克力与爱情的关联由来已久。修道院曾一度禁止修女吃巧克力，就是因为巧克力的性意味。在人们看来，意大利风流浪子卡萨诺瓦就是那个把热巧克力视作“爱情神药”的人。18世纪，法国医生曾为失恋心碎的女病人开出巧克力药方。此事还是有一些科学依据的。巧克力中含有的名为苯乙胺的物质，可以刺激大脑分泌一种化学物质，令人产生一种恋爱时才有的欣快感。除此之外，巧克力中还含有许多可能会使人产生幸福感觉的物质。你知道吗？100克巧克力中有5毫克甲基黄嘌呤和160毫克可可碱，这两种物质均为类似咖啡因的兴奋剂。如大量服用这些兴奋剂，会导致恶心、呕吐，这可是限制你在情人节只吃几块巧克力的大好理由。同时，巧克力对狗和其他宠物来说是有毒的，甚至可能致死。所以，不要给你的狗吃巧克力。可可碱对狗来说是剧毒，一盎司巧克力就可以杀死一条10磅重的狗。
文化小课堂
甜品如美人，浓妆艳抹如八宝饭，淡扫娥眉如酒酿圆子，纯洁稚气如奶油蛋糕，妖冶魅惑如巧克力。巧克力是黑美人，是浓情厚爱的化身，是情人节的完美代言人。我们始终信任巧克力，香甜的能量让我们重新精神抖擞，直面或百转千回或十年一日的人生。
What Do Americans Drink In the Summer Time 美国人的夏日饮品
◎Tom
American summers are filled with outdoor barbeques,baseball games and swimming pools.Summer in America is a time to enjoy the outdoors,no matter how hot it might be.So when the temperature is way up,and the sweat is pouring down,what do Americans reach for to quench their thirsts?Let's take a look at some of the more popular drinks.
Lemonade is probably the most common of all American summer time beverages.It was actually first created in Paris in the 17th century where it was sold by the cup from containers carried on the backs of people walking through the streets.It is made by combining lemon juice,water,and sugar.It is usually served very cold,over ice.For fun,children sometimes put up a stand outside their homes and sell this drink to passers-by on the street.
Ice tea is another popular summer time drink in America.It is made by first brewing tea and then cooling the tea to a cold temperature.Ice tea is almost always served in a tall glass of ice.Many Americans choose to add sugar to sweeten the drink,or lemon to add to the flavor.This drink is often consumed in the afternoon while relaxing in the shade.Ice tea is now also sold pre-packaged,by the bottle,at almost any store in America.
The Slurpee,a famous American drink which has declined in popularity in recent years,is a great way to cool off in the summer time heat.It is a mix of finely shaved ice,sugar and fruit juices.However the drink is mostly made of ice.Slurpees can be found in all types of flavors,but the most common are cherry and blueberry.They can be purchased at most small convenient stores and are dispensed from a machine that customers operate to serve themselves.Slurpees are most popular with young Americans.
Milkshakes are a time-honored tradition in America.A milkshake is made from a mix of ice cream,milk and flavoring.It is shaken or whipped and served ice cold in a cup.The shaking or whipping is usually done with a blender.The most common milkshakes are made with either vanilla or chocolate ice cream,a cherry is usually put on top.This drink often is had in combination with a meal of French fries and a hamburger.
美国夏天的主题就是户外烧烤、棒球赛和游泳池嬉戏。不管外面有多热，夏天都是美国人尽情享受户外活动的好时机。温度一路上扬，人们汗如雨下之时，美国人又会找些什么来解决口渴问题呢？我们就来看一下他们都有哪些流行饮料吧。柠檬水可能是美国夏季饮品中最常见的一种了。其实，柠檬水最早发明于17世纪的巴黎，卖柠檬汁的小贩背着饮料桶穿街走巷，谁买就给他倒上一杯。这种柠檬水是由柠檬果汁加水加糖兑成的，喝之前通常冰镇一下。孩子们为了好玩，也会在自家门口设个小摊，卖柠檬水给街上的路人。冰红茶是美国另一种流行的夏季饮品。冰红茶的做法很简单，煎好茶，然后慢慢放凉，喝的时候把茶倒进一大杯冰块中即可。许多美国人会加糖让冰红茶更甜一些，或者加柠檬增添些风味。炎炎夏日午后，在树荫下乘凉休息的时候，人们经常会要上一杯冰红茶。现在，几乎美国任何一家商店里都会出售瓶装冰红茶。“思乐冰”也是一种美国家喻户晓的饮料，虽然近年来流行程度有所下降，但仍是夏季降温的好选择。“思乐冰”是刨冰、糖和果汁的混合饮料，不过主要成分还是冰。“思乐冰”有多种口味，但最常见的是樱桃味和蓝莓味，在大多数小型便利店和自动贩卖机内都能买到。“思乐冰”在美国年轻人中最受欢迎。奶昔在美国拥有悠久的历史，由冰淇淋、牛奶和调味料混合而成，混合后需要大力摇动或搅拌，冰冻后装在杯子里享用。摇动或搅拌的工序通常由搅拌机完成。最常见的奶昔通常是香草或巧克力冰淇淋口味，顶上通常还会放一颗樱桃作装饰。人们常在点炸薯条、汉堡包套餐时再点上一杯奶昔。
美丽语录
The happy moment is sitting in front of a video shop with best friend,swaying two legs and licking an ice cream.The sweet taste melts from mouth down to heart.
幸福的瞬间就是和最好的朋友坐在音像店摇晃着两条腿舔着冰淇淋。甜蜜的味道从嘴里化开，一直蔓延到心里。
阅读小课堂
Idioms Related to"Tea"
与茶有关的习语
英语中跟“茶”（tea）相关的习语有不少，这里我们一起来认识几个。
如果有人跟你抱怨他的新老板脾气暴躁，动不动就拿下属出气，还总是叫他们加班，你可以说：Your new boss sounds terrible,I wouldn't work for him for all the tea in China!（你的新老板听起来真讨厌，无论给我多少钱，我都不会在他手下干！）
Not for all the tea in China意思是说“无论对方给我多优厚的报酬或好处，我都不会做……”。这个习语出现于19世纪末期，当时中国是世界上最大的茶叶生产地，所以all the tea in China的确是一笔巨大的财富。
a storm in a tea cup/a tempest in a teapot小题大做
例句：The whole affair is just a tempest in a teapot.In a couple of months everyone will have forgotten about it.（整件事都不过是小题大做而已，过不了多久，人们就会彻底忘记这事的。）
not my cup of tea不是我喜欢的
例句：I realize a fantasy computer game is not everyone's cup of tea,but this one is amazing.（我知道不是每个人都痴迷那些虚幻的电脑游戏，不过这个游戏真的很好玩。）
tea and sympathy对不幸者的安慰与同情
例句：Sometimes people want practical advice and sometimes they just want tea and sympathy.（有的时候人们想听些实际的建议，但有的时候他们只是寻求安慰而已。）
as useful as a chocolate teapot中看不中用
例句：This course is as good as a chocolate teapot,so I want to quit next semester.（这门课毫无用处，下学期我想把它退掉。）
再来跟大家聊聊关于茶的一些小知识吧！
茶分为红茶（black tea）、绿茶（green tea）、白茶（white tea）、乌龙茶（Oolong）等，不过这些茶都是从野茶树（Camellia sinensis）上采摘下来的，它们之所以颜色和味道有别，是因为加工的方法不同。
地方名茶：
西湖龙井Dragon Well,Hangzhou Zhejiang
六安瓜片Liuan Leaf,Jinzhai Anhui
黄山毛峰Yellow Mountain Tip,Huangshan Anhui
洞庭碧螺春Dongting Green Spiral,Suzhou Jiangsu
聚合中文网 阅读好时光 www.juhezwn.com
小提示:漏章、缺章、错字过多试试导航栏右上角的源