Tea was the drink of choice for most queens of old, while mead was the choice of kings. It wasn't until early in the 15th century that coffee was even a choice in most of the civilized countries of the world. But once coffee became a choice, it quickly became first choice.

The next time you are sipping a cup of coffee, you can remember that you are in very good company. Almost every American president has been a coffee drinker. The list of coffee lovers includes both the famous and the infamous.

Coffee is the most served beverage in America today. It is served at breakfast and dinner tables in homes all across this great country as well as in roadside cafes, the fanciest of restaurants, and in the chambers of judges and the offices of presidents. Those who do not drink coffee are a decided minority.

Today, the kings and queens of commerce are almost all coffee drinkers. Coffee has been hailed as a healthy drink, and it has suffered slings and arrows as a detriment to our health. It all depends on what "study" is being quoted. And yet, we still drink our coffee.

Fortunes have been made (and lost) in the coffee industry. Coffee futures are traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Coffee is a beverage that is near and dear to the hearts of both the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots. Starting a day with a cup of coffee is practically a universal ritual in America and around the world.

The lowly coffee bean has a lot of power! It is only right that we speak about kings and queens and coffee beans.