History of Coffee: Part II - Spread of Coffee to Europe

It was not until 1615, that Europe was formally introduced to coffee. Venetian traders, who had strong trade links with the Levant (historical term referring to a large area of the Middle East incorporating the countries of: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria), started to import coffee into Italy. Once in Europe, the consumption of coffee soon spread. However, the introduction of coffee into Europe was not without its controversy. According to many accounts, a group of Christian clerics tried to have coffee banned before it had become widely available. They came to Pope Clement VIII (1535-1605), claiming that coffee was for Satan's followers, and that Christians who drank it might lose their souls to the Devil. But before Pope Clement would ban coffee he insisted on tasting it. After drinking his first cup, the Pope was so impressed with the flavour, that he reasoned that such a drink could not possibly be the work of Satan and instead declared that coffee should be baptized to make it a true Christian drink.

The first person recorded in history to brew coffee in England was an international student named Nathaniel Conopios from Crete, who was studying at Balliol College, Oxford. This simple act, which happened in May 1637, was recorded by both; scholar John Evelyn and historian Anthony Wood. Although, shortly afterwards Conopios was expelled from college, his influence had a lasting effect on Oxford, as it was in Oxford that the first English coffeehouse was opened in 1650 by Jacob, a Lebanese Jew. Even though Jacob moved to London a few years later to repeat his success, he had begun a trend that saw many more coffeehouses open in Oxford during that decade.

The most significant of these coffeehouses, was the one open by Arthur Tillyard in 1655. Tillyard's coffeehouse became a meeting point for a group who were known as the Oxford Coffee Club. This group was made up of Oxford's leading scientists, including Sir Robert Boyle, and their students, who would meet to discuss their theories and research and share ideas. It is from the Oxford Coffee Club which the world famous Royal Society, one of the leading scientific societies in the world, evolved from.

The first coffeehouse in London was opened in 1652 by an Armenian man named Pasqua Rosée. Originally brought to London as a servant by the merchant Daniel Edwards, Rosée served coffee each morning to Edwards' house guests. Curiosity about the new drink soon spread through Edwards' friends, and the number of visitors to Edwards' house steadily grew over time. There was so much excitement created by Rosée's brew that Edwards eventually decided to financially back Rosée in opening a coffeehouse at St Michael's Alley in Cornhill. As with Oxford, the idea soon took off, and by 1715 there were as many as 2,000 coffeehouses around London.

One of the world's largest insurance companies, Lloyds of London, started as a coffeehouse on Tower Street in 1688. Opened by Edward Lloyd, it primarily served seafarers and merchants. Lloyd would circulate amongst his customers creating a list of what ships were carrying, their schedules, and their insurance needs. This list drew underwriters to his coffeehouse to sell insurance to those who needed it and merchants so they could keep track of the ships.

It is thought that the custom of tipping originated in English coffeehouses. There would often be a small box hung near the counter in establishments with the words "To Insure Promptness" (TIP) inscribed on them. Customers would drop a coin in the box to encourage swift service.

The early growth of coffeehouses was largely due to support by doctors, promoting coffee for its supposed healing abilities. Before the introduction of coffeehouses, there was a widespread problem with public drunkenness as beer was consumed with almost every meal. But with public knowledge of the health benefits of coffee, and with coffee being significantly cheaper then beer, coffeehouses began to replace the tavern as the meeting place of choice. Needless to say, tavern owners were not going to let their profits dwindle without a fight, and many of the most aggressive attacks against coffee came from them. They claimed that coffee was an Arabic drink not suitable for well-mannered Christian men, unlike beer which had been brewed by Monks' for centuries.

Tavern owners were not the only group to attack coffee. Women upset that their man would spent more time at the coffeehouse then at home with them, soon started to protest. In 1674, the ‘Women's Petition against Coffee' was published. In this document women protested that coffee reduced the male sperm count and would lead to a decline in the population: "coffee makes a man as barren as the dessert out of which this unlucky berry has been imported; that since its coming the offspring of our mighty forefathers are on the way to disappear as if they were monkeys and swine." It was understandable that women were aggrieved, as at the time they were banned from setting foot in a coffeehouse. However, this did not stop the ‘Men's Answer to the Women's Petition against Coffee' being published later that year. The document defended coffee claiming that women should be thankful for coffee, as it was in fact an aphrodisiac.

James Grierson is the owner of Galla Coffee: http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk - Uk online retailer of designer coffee accessories. Through the Coffee Knowledge section of his website he aims to help people understand more about coffee and give them tips on how to make great tasting coffee in their home.

http://www.gallacoffee.co.uk

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.

History of Arabian Coffee

robusta. It prefers higher elevations and drier climates than its cousin C. Arabian coffee accounts for about 80% of all coffee produced in the world. Arabia lends its name to the highest quality coffee plant in the world, Coffea Arabica. Arabian coffee is the quintessential coffee of the world.

This gives it time to develop the internal elements and oils that give coffee its aromatic flavor. Generally, the higher the plant is grown the slower it matures. The tropics of South America provide ideal conditions for growing Arabian coffee which grows best between 3,000 and 6,500 feet but has been grown as high as 9,000 feet.

Arabian coffee soon came to be known as an Islamic beverage. Soon it became a beverage endorsed by the Islamic clerics as drinking alcohol was prohibited in their religion. Soon it became a beverage endorsed by the Islamic people. Coffee soon made its way to Yemen where it was embraced by the Islamic people. Coffee was originally discovered in Ethiopia, just across the Red Sea from Arabia.

However, the Catholic Cardinals shunned it as the ‘Devil's drink' and tried to have it banned. Arabian coffee was exported to Europe where the people embraced it.

He decided that to banish the delightful drink would be a shame to let the impious ones have this delightful drink all to themselves. As legend has it, the Pope was immediately enamored by the distinct, pungent aroma and taste. But then Pope Clement VIII decided that it would be imprudent to ban the beverage without having tasted it, so he summoned a sample.

Arabian coffee is still a part of the Islamic faith and is use in ritualistic ceremonies.

Arabian coffee growers protected their monopoly on the prized plant. They were the exclusive providers of coffee throughout the world for several hundred years.

That is until a coffee plant finally made its way to the Caribbean. This began a new legacy of high-quality coffee in Latin America.

It is said that all the Arabica coffee grown in the world started from this plant as cuttings were transplanted all over the world. Arabian coffee is truly the source of coffee throughout the world.

The word mocha comes from the name Mokha, the shipping port in Yemen where all Arabian coffee was exported. Mocha has become a term used for describing a coffee beverage in which chocolate is added. But originally it had nothing to do with chocolate.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.