Coffee: The World in Your Cup at Burke Museum

January 24, 9:07 AMSeattle Events ExaminerMaria Christensen

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"Mom, you're a drug addict."

"Excuse me?" I ask, eyebrows shooting up to my hairline.

"Well, caffeine is a drug and you're addicted to coffee, so..." her lips are twitching in an effort to keep a straight face.

"I am not addicted to coffee. I don't absolutely have to have it every day, I just enjoy a good cup of coffee," I reply, eyebrows settling back into a dignified position.

"Three or four times a day?"

I resort to the only tactic that works in situations like these. Tickling. As my 18 year old daughter runs shrieking and giggling down the hall I contemplate my "enjoyment" of coffee, realize it doesn't bear close scrutiny, and pour myself another cup.

My personal consumption of coffee might be a subject I don't want to explore, but coffee as a commodity and a fixture in our culture, particularly here in Seattle, is worth investigating. The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture opens an exhibit this weekend called Coffee: The World in Your Cup that does just that.

Learn the real price of coffee in terms of people and the planet through videos, live demonstrations, photographs, talks, live plants and more. What does fair trade and shade grown mean? What is life like for coffee growers? How does coffee go from bean to cup? How does coffee growing affect the environment? What really goes into your latte?

The traveling exhibit, which runs through June 7th, answers those questions and more before moving on to another city. This weekend sees the opening with plenty of special events to mark the occasion. On Saturday the 24th there will be coffee tastings with companies like Victrola and Fidalgo Bay, guided exhibit tours and talks with coffee growers. On Sunday the 25th there will be more tastings with Caffe Appassionato, Trabant Coffee & Chai and Caffe Vita among others, and formal coffee cuppings. Cuppings are similar to wine tastings and you will learn how to identify, savor and appreciate different coffee roasts. Registration for the cuppings is at the door and first come, first served. There is room for 10 people per cupping and there are four sessions scheduled.

The Burke Museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm. Directions and details can be found on the website.