Jeff Koehler

On April 6, 1917, the U.S. declared war on Germany and formally entered World War I. By late June, American infantry troops began arriving in Europe. One thing they couldn’t do without? Coffee.

From the time of the Aztecs, chocolate has been seen as an aphrodisiac. (Casanova certainly thought so.) But it took many centuries for it to become the taste of the love holiday.

Few coffee aficionados are putting a Mr. Coffee machine on their wish list. But 40 years ago, it would’ve been at the top. The appliance revolutionized the quality and speed of home brewing.

Darjeeling is the “Champagne of teas,” sold by distinct harvest season, or flush. But while many of India’s top tea experts point to the autumn flush as their favorite, those teas are largely unknown.