Coffee's roots are widely debated and like a fine wine, are shrouded in mystery and romance. There are many versions of how this extraordinary beverage came to be. The most famous and well known is the legend of Kaldi, goatherder in Ethiopia.
It is believed that this goatherder discovered the Arabica coffee bean (indigenous to Ethiopia) when he found his goats dancing wildly after eating the cherries from a bush. He tried the cherries himself and enjoyed their stimulating effects. It soon became a religious ceremonial drink to keep monks awake during their long hours of prayer at night!
Coffee first emerged in the form similar to tea today. The leaves from coffee shrubs were boiled in water and the liquid was consumed "black". This preparation technique gave way to the use of cherries and later the roasted seeds of cherries known as coffee beans.
5th~13th
century |
Coffee was prepared in a manner similar to wine. It was not used as a hot beverage. |
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15th century |
The coffee trade was restricted to the Yemen district of Arabia and was jealously guarded. |
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16th century |
Plant cuttings were smuggled from Yemen and the cultivation of coffee crops spread to Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. Coffee houses began to open in every major city in the Middle East. |
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1615 |
The first shipment of coffee arrived in Venice from Turkey. |
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1683 |
Coffee reached Vienna. Shortly thereafter the first Viennese coffee house opened. |
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1773 |
American colonies revolted against high taxes placed on tea drinking by King George. "The Boston Tea Party" changed drinking habits and coffee became the favorite brew. |
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1800 |
Coffee was a major export crop and plantations extended from the Eastern to the Western hemispheres. |
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1962 |
The first International Coffee Agreement was held in New York. Coffee supplies were balanced and prices fairly regulated. |
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1979 |
Gloria Jean's Gourmet Coffees opened its first store. |
