There are 129 known species of the coffee plant and an average of two billion cups are drunk every day.
Different sources report that coffee drinking originated in the 15th-century Yemen by Sufi monks; others refer to a legend of an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi discovering the bean after seeing his goats
eat it.
Centuries later, this age-old drink still keeps us awake and alert for our day ahead.
October 1st is the day to celebrate this, with the date officially titled International Coffee Day.
The Stirling Coffee Experience
Now if there’s one thing Stirling has no shortage of, it’s cafés (and barbers). With some coffee shops
even neighbouring each other, there is one for whatever taste you may have.
Two I particularly enjoy are Chester’s Coffee House and The Book Nook.
Chester’s Coffee House, located on King Street, reminds me of a Parisian café I visited with my Dad, with small, round tables outside a fabric canopy and assorted pastries and sandwiches on offer.
The interior is decorated with framed black-and-white photos, old-fashioned coffee grinders and wooden floors, giving the place a chic and slightly rustic theme.
Its dark green and black colour scheme projects the coffee house’s front, making it more inviting.
The best choice of seating is outside (weather permitting) where you can watch pedestrians and cars pass by on Stirling’s scenic stone streets while enjoying flavourful coffee.
The Book Nook is a dream come true for any bookworm or student who is looking for a new place to
study.
Like a Tardis, this café is much larger on the inside despite its small-scale exterior.
On the left of the door, a display of unique and artistic postcards greets the patron. On the right, a vast floor-to-ceiling bookshelf holds titles for small-press poetry, mystery, graphic novels, and any other genre you could imagine.
If you can’t find a book you like, the staff recommendation section is bound to help you.
The Book Nook offers delicious coffee drinks and an eclectic collection of teas, like the apple pie
matcha.
Genres from sport, travel and visual art ensure that anyone can enter and leave with a book they’d
relish in. The Book Nook even has a children’s book section, making this café a spot for everyone.
On this year’s International Coffee Day, pay a café or coffee house a visit and remember to look up
from your coffee, book, phone, or conversation and savour the atmosphere of where you’re sitting.
Feature image credit: pexels.com
First year journalism student. From Aboyne, Aberdeenshire but lived in Doha for eight years.
