About Coffee

Even today there is controversy surrounding coffee as to whether it is good for the health or not and a new study seems to be published each week either defending or condemning this drink. At first coffee beans were sold by pharmacists and then by coffee houses which became popular for revolution and enlightened thinking. As coffee traveled from Constantinople to Venice and then to Vienna and other European capitals it was banned repeatedly. Here coffee was widely consumed by the populous but condemned by the Islamic leaders because of its supposed intoxicating effects. The coffee plant was first cultivated commercially in the Arab world in the fifteenth century.

Robusta beans have twice the caffeine of Arabica beans but less flavor. The Arabica beans are named for the Arabs who first grew them and are the better of the two. Commercial coffee beans belong to two main groups, Arabica and robusta. When picked coffee beans are green and do not acquire the familiar brown color and intoxicating aroma until they are roasted.

On the other hand most coffee beans sold in coffee specialty shops are Arabica. Supermarket coffee blends are usually made up of mostly Robusta beans with a few Arabica to add some flavor.

Today the word Mocha has come to mean a flavor combination of coffee and chocolate, but actually has nothing to do with Mocha beans which are rare and expensive. Named after the Yemeni Port from which the coffee was once shipped to the rest of the world. The prized of these are the true Mochas. Africa, the birthplace of coffee still grow coffee with wild flowers that coffee lovers prize. But there is a small amount grown in the Hawaiian Islands and some in Yemen on the Red Sea. Africa, Indonesia and Central and South America are the three main regions where coffee is grown.

This coffee is almost impossible to find in America as the Japanese buy almost all the tiny annual production and if it can be found it is extremely expensive. Coffee produced in Central America (particularly Guatemala and Costa Rica) are of real interest to coffee connoisseurs because many of the beans from these regions offer the balance and smoothness that made Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee legendary. Many good coffees also come from the island of Papua New Guinea. Indonesian coffees are popular for their body and earthy flavor. Another favorite, Africa Coffee is from Kenya, a country that produces many superlative beans.

One third of the coffee drunk worldwide is grown in Brazil but almost none of it is of any interest to coffee connoisseurs.

Colombia has put money and research into its coffee industry but unfortunately its beans are rarely exceptional.

If you prefer a flavored coffee a better idea is to brew good coffee from unflavored beans and dose it modestly with one or more of the flavoring essences that can be purchased at many gourmet shops. If these flavored beans are ground at home they will impart their flavors, possibly forever, on to your grinder and brewing apparatus. The flavored coffees that are becoming increasingly popular are usually based on bland, mediocre beans that are stirred with chemical flavoring essences after roasting.

Short History of Coffee

Who would have thought that a berry that was discovered by a herd of goats would be the single most important ingredient in the world’s most popular drink? Legend has it that back in 850AD, a goat herder noticed his herd was full of energy and eating berries he had never noticed. Since the goats seemed to have such a reaction, the herder decided to give it a try! The berries also gave him a burst of energy and he began to feel very happy. Thus, the beginning of the journey for what is now known as coffee!

Actually, the story of the goat herder isn’t the only legend surrounding this discovery. It is also said that an Arabian man was banished to the deserts with his followers to die of starvation. His men became very desperate for nourishment and before long, they were boiling and eating the product of an unknown tree. The broth that was produced by this unknown substance saved the lives of the men! In the nearest town, Mocha, many took their survival to be a religious sign. Because of the discovery, the drink was then named Mocha.

No matter which story you gravitate to, the bottom line is the same: the berries (actually, the seed of the berry) gave energy and zest to all that would consume it! From it’s earliest beginnings, coffee was thought of as a delicacy and any recipes floating around were considered to be a closely guarded secret!

As time passed, the very first coffee trees were harvested around 1100, in the Arabian Peninsula. The coffee drink became a staple of many early civilizations. In the year 1453, There was a law in Turkey that said that a woman could divorce her husband if he didn’t supply her with a daily supply of coffee!

The very first known coffee shop was established in Constantinople around the year of 1475 and since that initial introduction to the general public, coffee has pretty much taken over the world! Between 1600-1700, there were many advancements, including the world’s first coffee house and the beginnings of commercial production (made by the Dutch). By the middle 1700’s, there were about 2000 coffee shops in Venice, alone!

The first prototype of an espresso machine (made in Italy) was unveiled in the early 1800’s. In the early 1900’s, the first drip coffee makers were invented, making the coffee making process a little less daunting! Automatic espresso machines began their journey in the 1930’s.

By the late 1900’s, coffee became the most popular beverage in the world! The coffee is harvested in many countries, including: Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil, North America, Italy and even Turkey. This kind of crop can also be easily grown and exported by many third world countries, as well. Made to tempt even the pickiest palate, coffee has evolved to include hundreds of flavors and varying grades and prices.

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the history of coffee

Thus, the beginning of the journey for what is now known as coffee! The berries also gave him a burst of energy and he began to feel very happy. Since the goats seemed to have such a reaction, the herder decided to give it a try! The berries also gave him a burst of energy and eating berries he had never noticed. Since the goats seemed to have such a reaction, the herder decided to give it a try! Legend has it that back in 850AD, a goat herder noticed his herd was full of energy and eating berries he had never noticed. Who would have thought that a berry that was discovered by a herd of goats would be the single most important ingredient in the world’s most popular drink? Because of the discovery, the drink was then named Mocha. In the nearest town, Mocha, many took their survival to be a religious sign. The broth that was produced by this unknown substance saved the lives of the men! His men became very desperate for nourishment and before long, they were boiling and eating the product of an unknown tree. It is also said that an Arabian man was banished to the deserts with his followers to die of starvation. Actually, the story of the goat herder isn’t the only legend surrounding this discovery. From its earliest beginnings, coffee was thought of as a delicacy and any recipes floating around were considered to be a closely guarded secret! No matter which story you gravitate to, the bottom line is the same: the berries (actually, the seed of the berry) gave energy and zest to all that would consume it! As time passed, the very first coffee trees were harvested around 1100, in the Arabian Peninsula. The coffee drink became a staple of many early civilizations. In the year 1453, There was a law in Turkey that said that a woman could divorce her husband if he didn’t supply her with a daily supply of coffee! The very first known coffee shop was established in Constantinople around the year of 1475 and since that initial introduction to the general public, coffee has pretty much taken over the world! Between 1600-1700, there were many advancements, including the world’s first coffee house and the beginnings of commercial production (made by the Dutch). By the middle 1700’s, there were about 2000 coffee shops in Venice, alone! The first prototype of an espresso machine (made in Italy) was unveiled in the early 1800’s. In the early 1900’s, the first drip coffee machine was invented, making the coffee making process a little less daunting! The automatic espresso maker began its journey in the 1930’s. By the late 1900’s, coffee became the most popular beverage in the world! The coffee is harvested in many countries, including: Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil, North America, Italy and even Turkey. This kind of crop can also be easily grown and exported by many third world countries, as well. Made to tempt even the pickiest palate, coffee has evolved to include hundreds of flavors and varying grades and prices.

Thus, the beginning of the journey for what is now known as coffee! Legend has it that back in 850AD, a goat herder noticed his herd was full of energy and he began to feel very happy. Who would have thought that a berry that was discovered by a herd of goats would be the single most important ingredient in the world’s most popular drink?Because of the discovery, the drink was then named Mocha. In the nearest town, Mocha, many took their survival to be a religious sign. The broth that was produced by this unknown substance saved the lives of the men! His men became very desperate for nourishment and before long, they were boiling and eating the product of an unknown tree. It is also said that an Arabian man was banished to the deserts with his followers to die of starvation. Actually, the story of the goat herder isn’t the only legend surrounding this discovery.From its earliest beginnings, coffee was thought of as a delicacy and any recipes floating around were considered to be a closely guarded secret! No matter which story you gravitate to, the bottom line is the same: the berries (actually, the seed of the berry) gave energy and zest to all that would consume it!

why join a coffee of the month club

Have you ever wondered why people join coffee of the month clubs?  There are many benefits and types of coffee to be explored with these clubs.  This article will give you some idea of what coffee of the month clubs?  There are many benefits and types of coffee to be explored with these clubs.  This article will give you some idea of what coffee of the month club.

Brief History of Coffee

Brief History of Coffee

 

 

In 1475 the world’s first coffee shop opens in Constantinople.  In 1995 it was estimated that 400 billions cups of coffee were consumed a yearly.  Other monks drank the brew and are able to stay alert for their long devotional and prayer times.  So begins the history of coffee. A monk sees this and takes some of the berries to a monastery to make a brew with the berries. Upon seeing the goats become friskier after eating these berries Kaldi of Ethiopia decides to try the berries.  He feels much frisker after eating the berries. It tells of a young goat herder in Ethiopia watching his goats eat red berries. One of the first legends about coffee comes from around c850.

What are Coffee of the Month Clubs?

What are Coffee of the Month Clubs?

 

 

Today the coffee you can brew in your home can compare in taste to great coffee shops. Generally, coffee of the month clubs are a means of having a great tasting coffee delivered to your home through the mail each month.  Not only is coffee offered but tea and other items are offered as well.  Coffee of the month clubs will generally give something free to get you to try their great tasting coffee.  The free item is not a gimmick just to get you to join the club but a means of letting these companies demonstrate their great tasting coffee and other products that they have to offer.  Most of the coffee of the month clubs will send you coffee once a month after you have received your free gifts.  Good coffee of the month clubs will usually let you cancel your membership whenever you want. You still keep the free gift in most cases.  Now, think how many people will cancel after receiving their free gift.  For coffee companies this is an expensive marketing tool. If they did not feel that their coffee was of a high enough quality they could not afford to give free items away.

Benefits of Joining a Coffee of the Month Club

Benefits of Joining a Coffee of the Month Club

 

 

Coffee of the month clubs provide individuals with great coffees every month without having to go to a crowded store to purchase a good coffee.  Most coffee of the month clubs will have specials for each month that add to the value of belonging to their club.  You can make coffee at home that will compare with what you receive at coffee shops any time that you want and at a great cost savings as well.  Not only do you save on gas but you also save on the cost of this prepared coffee. This is especially helpful for people who want their special coffee every day.  Think about these savings and what else you might purchase with the money you save.  Most clubs will have information that is enjoyable to read and helpful in preparing that special coffee or tea.  You can still get together with others for coffee in your home.

Finding a coffee of the month clubs offer coffees in the caffeinated and decaffeinated flavors and blends.  They may also offer teas and other items that can be found in coffee shops.  What better way to have that special cup in the morning than in your robe curled up in a favorite chair?

a fascinating history of our favorite drink coffee

The History of Coffee -- No one really knows how coffee originated; its origin was lost in legends worldwide. However, a frequently told story that the history of coffee is attributed its discovery to a 16th Century herd of hungry goats and their Ethiopian caretaker named Kaldi. The goats, tired of searching for greener pasture, began to nibble the sweet red berries from a strange and unknown bush. Soon unusual behaviour followed, the herd became friskier and begun to kick their heels; witnessing the lively behaviour, Kaldi decided to taste the berries. Soon after, he became restless as well. He then shared his discovery to a monk and the news was brought to a monastery. The monk started serving them in the monastery and their evening prayers suddenly became more pleasant. The glories of the magical berries then begun to spread rapidly.

History of Coffee history of coffee is attributed its discovery to a 16th Century herd of hungry goats and their Ethiopian caretaker named Kaldi.

Below is the time line in the evolution of coffee. They mixed the coffee berries with animal fat, rolled them into balls, and ate them when they travel at night which made them awake and alert. Coffee was then considered as a standard Ethiopian tribal food.

1st Century

1st Century

By the 1st Century, Arab traders brought back coffee to Arabia and cultivate the plant for the first time on plantations. They created a drink out of the berries and called it "qahwa"; which literally translates as "that which prevents sleep"

Arab traders

15th Century

15th Century

Around 1453, coffee was introduced into Constantinople by the Turks and the first ever coffee shop, Kiva Kan, opened there in 1475.

Turks

16th Century

16th Century

Jesuit missionaries then brought arabica coffee beans to the country of Colombia. The volcanic soil of the Andes Mountains, along with the mild temperatures and abundant rainfall of the Colombian topography, provided ideal growing conditions enabling the coffee plants to flourish.

By the late 1500's, the first traders were selling coffee in Europe, thus introducing the new beverage into Western life. The Dutch planted coffee in their tropical colonies of Batavia and Java, while the French planted it in Martinique in 1723 and later on in the Antilles. The English, Spaniards and Portuguese followed suit in their own colonies.

17th Century

17th Century

In 1607, coffee was thought to have been introduced to the 'New World' by Captain John Smith; the founder of Virginia.

In 1652, the first coffeehouse opens in England. Coffee houses multiply and become such popular forums for intellectual discussions that they are dubbed "penny universities" (a penny being the price of a cup of coffee).

In 1668, Edward Lloyd's coffeehouse opens in England and is frequented by merchants and maritime insurance agents. Eventually it becomes Lloyd's of London, the best-known insurance company in the world.

In 1672, the coffee shop opened in Paris.

In 1675, the Turkish Army surrounded Vienna. Franz Georg Kolschitzky , a Viennese who had lived in Turkey, slips through the enemy lines to lead relief forces to the city. The fleeing Turks leave behind sacks of "dry black fodder" that Kolschitzky recognizes as coffee. He claimed them as his reward and opened central Europe's first coffee house. He also establishes the habit of refining the brew by filtering out the grounds, sweetening it, and adding a dash of milk.

Franz Georg Kolschitzky

With a coffee plant smuggled out of the Arab port of Mocha in 1690, the Dutch become the first to transport and cultivate coffee commercially, in Ceylon and in their East Indian colony - Java, source of the brew's nickname.

18th Century

18th Century

In 1713, King Louis XIV was presented with a coffee tree. It is believed that coffee additives was first used as coffee additive in his courts .

King Louis XIV courts

1721 : First coffee house opens in Berlin.

:

1723: French naval officer Gabriel Mathieu do Clieu stole a coffee seedlings and transported it to Martinique. Within 50 years, official survey recorded 19 million coffee trees on Martinique. Eventually, 90 percent of the world's coffee spreads from this plant.

In 1727, coffee growing started in northern Brazil through Lieutenant colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta who was sent by government to arbitrate a border dispute between the French and the Dutch colonies in Guiana. Not only did he settled the dispute, but also came up with a secret liaison with the wife of French Guiana's governor. Although France guarded its New World coffee plantations to prevent cultivation from spreading, the lady said good-bye to Palheta with a bouquet in which she hid cuttings and fertile seeds of coffee

19th Century

19th Century

The first espresso machine might have been invented in France at the start of the 19th century. But the first manufactured machine is said to have happened 100 years later in Italy.

In 1886, former wholesale grocer Joel Cheek names his popular coffee blend "Maxwell House," after the hotel in Nashville, TN where it was served.

20th Century

20th Century

The 20th century saw a major evolution of coffeein the way it was made and served.

• In 1900, Hills Bros. begins packing roast coffee in vacuum tins, spelling the end of the ubiquitous local roasting shops and coffee mills.





• In 1901 a Japanese-American chemist Satori Kato of Chicago, created the first soluble "instant" coffee.






• In 1903 a German coffee importer, Ludwig Roselius and a team of researchers perfected the process of removing the caffeine content from the coffee beans without destroying the flavour. He marketed it under the brand name we still know today, "Sanka."





• In 1905 the first commercial espresso machine was manufactured in Italy.

In 1900, Hills Bros. begins packing roast coffee in vacuum tins, spelling the end of the ubiquitous local roasting shops and coffee mills.

In 1901 a Japanese-American chemist Satori Kato of Chicago, created the first soluble "instant" coffee.

In 1903 a German coffee importer, Ludwig Roselius and a team of researchers perfected the process of removing the caffeine content from the coffee beans without destroying the flavour. He marketed it under the brand name we still know today, "Sanka."

In 1905 the first commercial espresso machine was manufactured in Italy.

• In 1906, George Constant Washington, an English chemist living in Guatemala, notices a powdery condensation forming on the spout of his silver coffee carafe. After experimentation, he creates the first mass-produced instant coffee (his brand is called Red E Coffee).





• In 1908 Melitta Bentz invented the world’s first drip coffeemaker by using blotting paper.





• In 1933 Dr. Ernest Illy developed the first automatic espresso machine.





• In 1938 Nescafé instant coffee was invented by the Swiss Nestlé company, to aid the Brazilian government in solving its coffee surplus problem.





• In 1945 Achilles Gaggia perfected the espresso machine with a piston that creates a high pressure extraction to produce the thick layer of crema that we all love today.





• In 1971, Starbucks opens its first store in Seattle's Pike Place public market, creating a frenzy over fresh-roasted whole bean coffee.





• In 1979, Mr Cappuccino opens for business.





• In 1991, Caffè Carissimi Canada, a network of espresso service providers is formed in Canada, modeled after a visit to Franco Carissimi (roaster and equipment manufacturer) in Bergamo Italy. It becomes the fastest growing network of private and independant super automatic machines providers in Canada.





• In 1995 , Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. More than 400 billion cups are consumed each year. It is a world commodity that is second only to oil.

In 1906, George Constant Washington, an English chemist living in Guatemala, notices a powdery condensation forming on the spout of his silver coffee carafe. After experimentation, he creates the first mass-produced instant coffee (his brand is called Red E Coffee).

In 1908 Melitta Bentz invented the world’s first drip coffeemaker by using blotting paper.

Melitta Bentz

In 1933 Dr. Ernest Illy developed the first automatic espresso machine.

Dr. Ernest Illy

In 1938 Nescafé instant coffee was invented by the Swiss Nestlé company, to aid the Brazilian government in solving its coffee surplus problem.

In 1945 Achilles Gaggia perfected the espresso machine with a piston that creates a high pressure extraction to produce the thick layer of crema that we all love today.

Achilles Gaggia

In 1971, Starbucks opens its first store in Seattle's Pike Place public market, creating a frenzy over fresh-roasted whole bean coffee.

In 1979, Mr Cappuccino opens for business.

In 1991, Caffè Carissimi Canada, a network of espresso service providers is formed in Canada, modeled after a visit to Franco Carissimi (roaster and equipment manufacturer) in Bergamo Italy. It becomes the fastest growing network of private and independant super automatic machines providers in Canada.

In 1995 , Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. More than 400 billion cups are consumed each year. It is a world commodity that is second only to oil.

1995

Visit www.coffeetology.com for more facts and trivia about coffee...

curious coffee facts coffee is the second most traded product after oil

Coffee is part of our daily lives and we definitely love it, but were things always like that? How popular was coffee during its first days in the Western world? Among the first coffee facts that have been preserved over the centuries it is impressive to know how it was banned from the Christian world as the devil's drink.

Coffee actually reached Europe as a result of the flourishing commerce the Venetians had with the Eastern countries, and they brought it from Constantinople where it was kept very high in esteem as being an incredibly tasty drink. Christian priests at the time argued against any positive coffee facts that it was a drink given to the infidels by Satan as a substitute for wine which had been forbidden to them.

Historic coffee facts indicate that it wasn't until the 16th century that this now so popular drink was blessed by the pope and commerce started to develop. At the end of the 1500s, Europe actually saw the creation of the first coffee houses, and the former banishing of this drink remained in the past and the subject of popular anecdotes.

Coffee facts show that presently this drink has gained such a great prominence that people are actually celebrating a special coffee day; moreover in terms of commercial importance we need to say that coffee is the second most traded product after oil. Among the many curious coffee facts we need to mention that there are hundreds of coffee varieties growing all over the world, nevertheless, only two are largely cultivated for economic purposes: Arabica and Robusta.

A fully-grown coffee tree will remain in production for up to forty years once it starts to produce coffee beans, not to mention that it only takes five years to become fertile. Though, Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world, there are plenty other geographical areas suitable for the cultivation of this very important tree: Java, Mexico, some Caribbean islands, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Tanzania, Kenya or Cameroon.

Among the most surprising coffee facts we should mention here, one is related to the increased flavor of the coffee beans that results from the roasting process. The secret behind the exquisite taste lies in the presence of sugar within the internal structure of coffee beans; during the roasting process, this sugar gets caramelized which intensifies the overall flavor and delights every coffee lover.