Who, When and Where in the History of Coffee

The history of coffee widely varies according to the source due to the length of time as well as the blurring of truth that sometimes occurs. Coffee have been a part of culture for over one thousand years.

This is especially true when something as powerful as coffee is involved, as coffees have brought people much wealth and prosperity throughout the history of coffee.

He noted that his sheep became extremely active after eating the red cherries from a plant as they went from one pasture to another. According to one story that has been passed down through the generations, a sheep herder named Kaldi discovered coffee as he tended his sheep. in the part of Africa now known as Ethiopia. Coffees were discovered around 850 A.D.

The story goes on to say that a monk passed by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit." However, the monks soon found themselves eating the same fruit to help them stay awake for their prayers. He ate a few of the cherries himself, and was soon as overactive as his herd.

But once the people of Arabia became enthralled with coffee and transplanted plants to Arabia, coffees were monopolized by them. Originally, the coffee plant grew naturally in Ethiopia.

Later, countries beyond Arabia whose inhabitants believed coffee to be a delicacy and guarded its secret with the greatest care began to siphon off coffee plants as was possible.

The Arabian government prohibited the transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations, so the actual spread of coffee was started illegally.

In the 17th century, Italian traders introduced coffees to the West and changed the history of coffee forever. Many Christians believed that coffee was the drink of the devil.

But in Italy, Pope Clement VIII drank and endorsed coffee against the advice of his advisors who wanted it to be considered part of the infidel threat. Because of his endorsement of coffee, it became acceptable as a Christian beverage and spread throughout the West.

Coffee Houses began opening in the mid-17th century in the Western world. The first coffee house opened in Italy in 1645, in England in 1652, in Paris in 1672, and in Berlin in 1721.

In 1668, Edward Lloyd's coffee house opened in England and eventually became Lloyd's of London, the best-known insurance company in the world. By this time as well, coffee had replaced beer as New York's City's favorite breakfast beverage.

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Dutch became a prominent force in the coffee industry with a coffee plant smuggled out of the Arab port of Mocha. The Dutch cultivated coffee commercially in Ceylon and in their East Indian colony of Java, which came to be the source of coffees' nickname. However, the French stole a seedling and transported it to Martinique.

Fifty years later, an official survey found 19 million coffee trees on Martinique and eventually, it's estimated that ninety percent of the world's coffee spread from this one seedling.

The Dutch and French monopoly was broken up in 1727 when Brazil entered the fray. Lieutenant colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta was sent by the Brazilian government to arbitrate a border dispute between the French and Dutch colonies in Guiana.

Not only did he settle the disagreement, but he also began an affair with the wife of the governor of French Guiana.

The dear lady bid the lieutenant colonel adieu with a bouquet in which she hid cuttings and fertile seeds of coffees that began the Brazilian portion of the history of coffee. By 1907, Brazil accounted for 97% of the world's coffee production.

As the Industrial Revolution swept through Europe and the United States, coffees were changed forever.

Hills Bros. became the first company to vacuum pack coffees, changing the coffee industry from a local one to a regional and even national one. Sanka was introduced to the United States as the first decaffeinated coffee. And Nestle learned how to freeze dry coffee and keep it fresher longer.

The most recent changes in the history of coffee has come over the last sixty years. In 1946, the espresso machine was invented in Italy, giving rise to the Cappuccino.

And in 1971, Starbucks opened its first store in Seattle's Pike Place public market. And that ladies and gentlemen is a small and brief history of coffee, and I hope you enjoyed reading about it.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Coffee ...Nectar of the gods

After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon his journey but not before he had added a little something to his backpack and supplies. After a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who, after being informed of the plants amazing qualities proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. Now being a little weary and extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and see if the end results would be the same for him as they had been for his flock. Not only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Before he could stop them some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual berry. About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd and his flock came across a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a secluded and forgotten hillside.

Its hard to believe that each year we consume a staggering four billion cups and there are many among us who would not contemplate starting their day without it. In no time at all word of its qualities began to spread and coffee was to evolve into one of the most valued drinks ever known to the human civilisation. Here it was to be held as a holy delicacy but was eventually to be unlawfully exported by a trader by the name of Baba Budan. Its widespread consumption first commenced in the wilds of the Ethiopian outlands before then moving on to the heart of Arabia . Coffee, had now well and truly arrived and the news began to spread! Soon the endless hours of prayer no longer seemed so wearisome, in fact they became easy to endure with the help of this exciting new drink. When the monk reached his monastery his fellow holy men also decided to try this new and enchanting beverage.

This is also by a figure in the region of about twenty five percent. Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also thought to help lower your chances of developing colon cancer. This is known to be a bronchodilator which helps those who suffer with the disease to breathe a little more easily. It is said that folk who suffer from the complaint of asthma and drink coffee have an average of at least 25% less symptoms due to a substance in the coffee named theophylline. Although coffee is usually thought of as a sleep suppressant there are many who think that it also has many health benefits.

I tend to place numerous orders via the web and I always make a point of recording blend, country, and from exactly whom I purchased. Sitting at home I can now search out an almost infinite variety of coffees from all over the world and order them at the click of a mouse. With the aid of the wonderful web, trekking around the local neighbourhood to try and find some new exciting coffee blends has became a thing of the past. Never before have we been able to so easily get hold of such a large and voluptuous variety of blends, tastes and tantalising aromas from all over the world. One of the swiftest growing trends of the last few years has to be the rising popularity of buying coffee via the internet. Its curious that the vast majority of folk have no idea of the different tastes and delights that this king of all drinks has to offer us.

Not only will you impress your friends, your tastebuds will be thrilled as well. Go on and try some new varieties. Now you know the history of this magical bean I hope that if in the days to come you are thinking of visiting your local coffee shop you recall the information you have read on this website and make the most of this wonderful drink.

Latte or Cappuccino?