Wake up and smell the history

Steven Topik’s office is a treasure trove of information lined with wall-to-wall bookshelves filled to the brim with research and stories about beans and Brazil.

The UC Irvine history professor has traveled the world from South America to Southeast Asia in pursuit of history and a good cup of coffee.

While being an expert on coffee comes with a certain distinction, Topik says he falls short of being a coffee connoisseur with a picky palette.

“I don’t judge people on how they take their coffee,” Topik said. “I take mine with half and half.”

Instead of following a particular bean or brew, Topik uses coffee as a gateway into the study of world history.

“There’s a world of history in your coffee cup.”...