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The History of Coffee
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The coffee tree originally comes from Ethiopia. But it was in Yemen, Arabia, with Mocha as its main port, that it started to be grown, apparently since 575 AD. An old legend, published in Rome centuries ago, tells that, precisely in Yemen, a goatherder named Kaldi discovered the first coffee trees by accident. The young shepherd had lost his goats, which he found a short time later, not too far from where he was. He noticed they were more active and vital than ever after feasting on coffee beans.
Then he decided to share this with a member of a religious order, who, without further ado, set to unravel the mystery of the tremendous energy observed in the herd. |
That is why this religious person prayed to Allah that this mystery would be solved. So much he prayed that finally Allah appeared to him in a dream and told him what to do.
Allah explained to him that he should pick the fruits of this mysterious tree, remove the pulp, roast the beans, prepare an infusion and share it with the monks at the convent, so that their prayers where more pleasing to Allah and they could be more alert when holding a vigil. And that is how this divine beverage originated.
In 1550, the first establishments that sold coffee were introduced in Constantinople. These coffeehouses, profusely decorated, became important meeting places where politics were discussed.And coffee, which at first was a beverage consumed only in religious gatherings, thus became a symbol of friendship and conversation, even to date.
Since 1615, coffee was distributed to the whole of Europe from Venice. As this beverage of Muslim origin was considered to be a "satanic concoction" by religious people, Pope Clement VIII was pressured into prohibiting the infusion. However, as soon as he tasted a sip, he instantly declared that it would be a sin to leave such a delicious beverage to the skeptics; far from being banned, it had to be blessed and Christianized.
Coffee came to America in 1723, brought by French lieutenant Gabriel Mathiew de Clieu, who unloaded the first coffee plant in the West Indies, after a really rough crossing. By the end of the century, coffee beans had spread all over the Americas. It became so significant that the New York Stock Exchange traded for ten years in the legendary Tontine Coffeehouse.
Wrapped up in legends and mysteries, in the last century coffee has become the most popular beverage in the planet. And La Virginia has become the most popular in our country. |
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