It doesn't matter if it's from South America, Africa or Southeast Asia. It doesn't matter if it's steaming hot or iced. It doesn't matter if it's a Turkish grind, French roast, percolated, brewed, or pressed. It doesn't matter if it's a caf americano, caffe latte, espresso, cappuccino, or a caffe macchiato. It doesn't matter if it's decaf, regular or half-and-half. It doesn't matter if it's Starbucks, McDonalds, Dunkin' Donuts or in your own kitchen. What only matters is that it's the drink of the millennium: coffee.

Here's to the drink that has brought together millions of people together on a first date. It's the drink that has sat in on millions of board meetings around the world. It's the drink that has helped millions of high school and college students cram for big tests and final exams. It's the drink that is thought to have quicken sobriety (which is a myth: it just makes a wide-awake drunk.) It's the drink that signified the official transition from childhood to adulthood.

With its origins in Ethiopia, it quickly spread to Egypt and onto Yemen and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. From there, it quickly spread to Europe via Turkey. Each country that the coffee bean passed through took it and made it their own. As each European country spread out and conquered other lands, they also brought along coffee (as well as other culinary delights) and "shared" them with everyone. With the coming of the Industrial Age, Europe needed something other than alcohol to drink. (The water was so bad at that time that it was safer to drink alcohol than drink water.) People couldn't work on machines after they've been drinking. So, out of necessity, the coffee break was born. Coffeehouses started popping up all over London and other cities where industry was growing. Soon, coffee was thought to contribute to the "creation process," and the coffeehouse became the mecca of all the learned men (and a few women). Many a business deal was created over a cup of coffee.

Coffee is an important export for many countries around the world. Today, coffee is grown in over 50 countries, with Brazil being the largest producer (with more than 50% of the world's supply). And with that, this caffeinated commodity has come to be known by many different names: jamocha, caf, caf noir, cappuccino, demitasse, espresso, ink, java, mocha, mud, perk, cup, joe.

Today coffeehouses, or cafes, function as a gathering place, or the meet-up place. Starbucks once wanted to refer to itself as the "third place" (after home and work). Coffeehouses are often seen as the quintessential place to find writers, artists, musicians, and other intellectuals. Many coffeehouses and cafes will bring in local musicians on the weekends or in the evenings. It's not uncommon to find table of neo-beatniks discussing the problems of the world or reciting poetry. The aura of a good coffeehouse incites the feelings of relaxation and belonging. The local coffeehouse is more than a place that serves coffee, that delectable drink of the gods that warms the soul and mind. It's a sign that a community is open to new ideas and embraces culture. Where there's a good coffeehouse, there's a good community.