Reading books to children can make a great impact on their lives. As a youngster, I fondly remember the book, Heidi. The story features a young orphan girl sent to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. She developed a deep love of the mountains and nature, something that still appeals to me. Looking back, I believe I was drawn more to the illustrations than the storyline, as I clearly recall wishing to see the Alps, chalets, and grazing cows. My chance finally came when I signed up for a Riviera River Cruise from Basel, Switzerland, to Cologne, Germany.
Imagine living in the Swiss Alps.
My travel buddy Judy and I flew to Zurich and boarded a train directly from the airport to Lucerne. Swiss Rail makes it so easy and the trains are very clean and comfortable.
I’m glad I listened to a friend’s recommendation to spend two days in Lucerne because the beauty and ambiance of the city can’t be overstated. The stunning Old Town rests on the banks of Lake Lucerne, surrounded by stunning mountains featuring Mt. Pilatus, rising approximately 7,000 feet.
While touring and photographing the lush rice terraces in Bali, I saw a nearby coffee plantation. I decided to stop to learn more about Bali’s controversial kopi luwak coffee.
A Cup of Kopi Luwak Coffee Served to me in Bali
I first heard about this outlandish java from one of my favorite movies, the 2007 film The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Nicholson plays an obnoxious billionaire who only drinks the exotic brand. He carries his stock of kopi luwak everywhere he goes and even takes a portable brewing station to ensure a fresh cup of kopi luwak wherever and whenever he wants it. Nicholson’s character calls it the “rarest coffee in the world,” indeed, it is the most expensive brew in the world. So, what makes it so extraordinary?
What is Kopi Luwak coffee?
Coffee Cherries Growing on a Coffee Plantation in Bali.
Kopi Luwak is a famous (and somewhat disreputable) Indonesian coffee that has been digested by an animal called an Asian palm civet. The civet, a cat-like creature, roams the forests of Bali at night, eating ripe coffee cherries. But only the outer pulp is digested while the coffee beans pass through the animal’s digestive tract intact. After being expelled, the beans are collected, thoroughly washed, and meticulously processed to remove any remaining impurities. This process, coupled with the enzymes and fermentation during digestion, contributes to the coffee’s unique flavor and smoothness.
The History of Civet Coffee
A Civet in a Cage on the Coffee Plantation
The history of civet cat coffee or cat poop coffee goes back to the 1700s when the Dutch first set up coffee plantations in Sumatra and Java. According to legend, the locals noticed wild animals were eating the ripe coffee cherries (the stone fruits that grow in bunches on the coffee plant). They digest the cherries and excrete the beans. At the time, the plantation workers were prohibited from harvesting coffee beans for themselves, so they started brewing their drinks from these discarded beans.
Why Would You Drink Kopi Luwak?
Coffee connoisseurs seek it because wild animals will only eat the best, ripest cherries, so you don’t end up with inferior, unripe beans. The enzymes in the civet’s digestive system alter the coffee beans, producing a smoother cup of coffee.
How Does the Process Work?
Coffee Beans Excreted by Civets to Make Luwak Coffee.
The cherries get entirely stripped of their fruity exterior while passing through a civet’s stomach, giving them an extensive washing process. The workers then peel off any remaining skin, and the beans are ready for drying and later roasting. Without any fruit pulp left on the bean, mold doesn’t grow, resulting in a better cup of coffee.
Washed and Cleaned Coffee Beans now Ready for Roasting.
Taste Testing
When I toured the plantation, more of a family compound, I saw a few civets in cages. The guide explained that they were only there so we could see the animals.
Next, we stopped to see examples of the beans at various stages of the process. Then, we sat down to taste various locally grown tea and coffee blends. The guide collected an additional fee from those tasting luwak.
Tasting a Variety of Coffee Blends
Naturally, I decided to take a taste test while I was there. I admit I was skeptical, but the coffee was one of the smoothest, low acid, and most flavorful cups I have ever tried. I liked it, but did NOT buy any to bring home.
Brewing Luwak Coffee at the Coffee Plantation in Bal
What’s the Problem with Civet Coffee?
The problem with kopi luwak coffee is that it’s rarely actually wild. As you can imagine, a plantation that relies on free-range civets would be unpredictable. Finding and collecting the excreted beans in the forest becomes a labor-intensive task and therefore is cost prohibitive for a business.
As a result, the most common production involves removing civets from the wild and keeping them in tiny cages on coffee plantations – in other words, an unethical form of animal abuse. Many coffee plantations don’t comply with animal welfare standards for hygiene, shelter, and mobility. The civets may also be force-fed the cherries. If the civets are kept on restrictive coffee-only diets, that may lead to malnutrition and other health problems.
A Civet in a Wire Cage
The Dark Side of Coffee
The consumer must also be wary as much of the coffees sold as kopi luwak isn’t authentic. With incredibly high prices for this specialty product, expect sellers to cash in by labeling unauthentic merchandise. I saw a 3.52-ounce pack of kopi luwak selling for $116.99 on Amazon. That amounts to a whopping $530 per pound.
My Viking Seine River Cruise allowed me to visit Malmaison, the former home of Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine, in the western suburbs of Paris. Before this cruise, and like most tourists, I had never heard of the estate. Unfortunately, the property is difficult to reach via Paris public transportation, and a taxi would be expensive. So, lucky for me, but sad for all those who miss it.
Malmaison was the Paris home of Napoleon & Josephine
The excellent Viking Cruise excursion guide provided some background information on Napoleon and Josephine during the bus ride to the mansion. Josephine de Beauharnais was quite the character, and the guide made me so interested I went home and read a biography on her fascinating life.
