Greetings Coffee Lovers.
The origen & discovery of coffee is ever mysterious & elusive, as nobody knows exactly when or how coffee was discovered. There are however many legends about the origen of coffee.
The legend of the Ethiopian goat herder Kaldi
- Coffee heritage traces back centuries to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau, where it was said to grow wild.
- Kaldi noticed that his goats became energetic and did not want to sleep at night after eating the berries from a certain tree (coffee cherry)
- Kaldi shared this findings with the local monastery.
- They then proceeded to make a drink with the berries. They found that it kept them alert through the hours of evening prayer.
- News of these berries spread to other monasteries. Knowledge & popularity of the energizing berries began to spread.
Coffee reaches the Arabian Peninsula
- Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula.
- In the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia.
- Coffee was enjoyed in coffee houses called "qahveh khaneh"
- they also listened to music, watched performances, played chess and exchanged current on news.
- Coffee houses became an important center for the exchange of information, hence they were referred to as “Schools of the Wise.”
- Many pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, encountered coffee which was referred to as “wine of Araby”.
Coffee In Europe
- European travelers brought back stories of an unusual black beverage.
- Some reacted with great suspicion , calling it the “bitter invention of Satan.”
- Coffee was condemned when it came to Venice in 1615.
- This caused controversy of such great nature that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene.
- He tasted the beverage for himself and found the drink pleasantly satisfying. Thus he gave it his approval.
The Boston Tea Party
- Coffee houses began to appear,however tea remained the favored drink in the New World.
- In 1773 colonists revolted against a heavy tax on tea imposed by King George III.
- The revolt become known as the Boston Tea Party, and this revolution would forever change the American drinking preference from tea to coffee.
Dutch influence on coffee
- The Dutch got seedlings in the 17th century.
- Their attempts to plant coffee in India failed, but fruitful efforts in Batavia, on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia.
Coffee In Southern America
Around 1714, Mayor of Amsterdam presented a coffee plant to King Louis XIV of France.
It was planted in the Royal Botanical Garden in Paris.
In 1723, a young naval officer, Gabriel de Clieu obtained a seedling from the King's plant. Despite a challenging voyage, he transported it safely to Martinique.
Once planted, the seedling thrived, it’s the reason for the spread of over 18 million coffee trees on the island of Martinique.
This seedling was the parent of all coffee trees throughout the Caribbean, South and Central America.
Brazilian coffee owes its existence to Francisco de Mello Palheta, who was sent by the emperor to French Guiana to get coffee seedlings.
The French were not willing to share, however the French Governor's wife, captivated by his good looks, gave him a large bouquet of flowers before he left.
Inside the Bouquet were enough coffee seeds to begin a billion-dollar industry.
Coffee seeds were taken to new lands, and coffee trees were planted worldwide.
Plantations were established in tropical forests and on rugged mountaineous landscapes.
Nations were established on coffee economies.
By the 18th century, coffee had become one of the world's most profitable export crops.After crude oil, coffee is the most sought commodity in the world.