Cat pooh coffee costs a lot
Sonia Legg reports
Reuters
August 19, 2007
A rare type of coffee made from the droppings of the civet cat is wowing coffee connoisseurs around the world.
Enzymes in the cats’ stomach break down the proteins that give coffee its bitter taste, thus enhancing its flavour and creating a brew many consider superb. A cup of the special civet cat or luwak coffee sells for as much as 50 Australian dollars in trendy cafes Downunder while hip New Yorkers pay around 75 U.S. dollars for a quarter pound.
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Editor’s Note: A similar story appeared in the Telegraph.co.uk in 2004. In 2003, the SARS virus was traced to the endangered civet cat and eating this culinary delicacy was thought to have been a possible point of origin for the fatal virus. Civet cats are also the source of a high-valued musk which can induce vomiting in humans in strong amounts. This makes drinking coffee made with civet poo an even greater adventure, or more accurately, folly.