Many myths surround the origin of coffee. One of these, and probably the most compelling is the story that dates back to the 9th century. A story is told of Kaldi, an Arab goat herder who roamed the countryside of the Ethiopian kingdom, Kaffa with his goats. He was puzzled by the strange antics of his flock as they ate the fruits of a mid-sized, dark green shrubbery with yellow and red berries.

Following his curiosity, Kaldi supposedly sampled the berries of the stimulating “magic berries” with him to the next monastery to have its effects explained to him by the monk. Declaring it a devilish temptation, the monk furiously tossed the berries into the fire. Shortly after, the monk was charmed by the unique aroma that rose from the roasted coffee. He quickly saved the beans from the fire and brewed the very first coffee. The monk noticed that the drink kept him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. The drink was shared with the other monks at the monastery, and knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread.

There are two species of coffee plants consumed globally. They are Coffea arabica and C. canephora. Arabica is considered a milder and more flavourful and aromatic brew. Compared with Robusta, the flatter and more elongated Arabica bean are more widespread. Arabica requires a cool subtropical climate. It is delicate and vulnerable to pests.  

Robusta, the main variety of C. canephora has twice the caffeine content of Arabica. Robusta coffee is cheaper to produce and is typically the bean of choice for commercial coffee brands. Major producers of Robusta coffee include Western and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.

Coffee plantations across the world

Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula.  By the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia. By the 16th century, it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.

The Dutch joined in the latter half of the 17th century. Their first attempts to cultivate coffee in India failed. However, their efforts in Batavia, on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia succeeded. Later, the Dutch expanded the cultivation of coffee trees to the islands of Sumatra and Celebes.

The increasing popularity of the beverage spread propagation of the plant rapidly to Java and other islands of the Indonesian archipelago and the Americas in the 18th century. Coffee cultivation was started in the Hawaiian Islands in 1825.

By the 20th century, coffee production was highly concentrated in the Western Hemisphere—specifically Brazil.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the invention of industrial roasting and grinding machines. Vacuum-sealed containers were designed for ground roasts, and decaffeination methods for green coffee beans were developed. After 1950, the production of instant coffee was perfected. This led to increased production of the cheaper Robusta beans in Africa.

Coffeehouses

Not only was coffee enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffeehouses —which began to appear in cities across the Near East.

Coffeehouses acted as public spaces where patrons met to drink coffee and engage in conversation, listen to music, watch performers, play chess and keep current on the news.  Coffee houses became such an important sphere for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.”

By the end of the 17th century, coffeehouses were flourishing across Britain, the British colonies in America, and continental Europe.

Even though Kaffa is understood to be the place of coffee´s birth, the name “coffee” is not attributed to Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the coffee bean is known as “buna”. Arabic words like “kachve” (giving strength) or “qawah” (Wine, Drink) established European words like “coffee”, “café” or “Kaffee”. In Turkey, coffee is still called by the Arabic word “Kaveh” to this date.

“Coffee - the favorite drink of the civilized world." - Thomas Jefferson

REFERENCES

Information from https://www.ncausa.org/about-coffee/history-of-coffee

https://www.espresso-international.com/where-does-coffee-come-from/, https://www.britannica.com/topic/coffee was used in this story