History of Coffee

History of Coffee

The discovery of coffee dates back to the 9th century.  Kalid was a legendary Ethiopian goat herder who discovered the coffee plant.    According to the legend his goats were nibbling on bright red berries and then starting acting weird and very energetic.   Kalid tried the berries himself and experienced a sense of exhilaration.   He took the berries to a local place of worship, and the head monk deemed them to be the work of the devil.  He threw them in the fire to be burned and the sensual and powerful aroma fulled the room.   The head monk ordered for the embers to be pulled out of the fire, and for hot water to be poured over them to preserve the smell.  They then tasted the mixture and experienced a peaceful, warming and calming sensation.  Hence the birth of coffee. 

During the late 15th century, monasteries in Yemen employed coffee as an aid to help with concentration during prayers.  They used the beverage as an aid / spiritual intoxication when they chanted the name of God.  Sufis used it to keep themselves alert during their nighttime devotions.

Coffee arrived in Italy in the second half of the 16th century.  Soon coffee shops started opening one by one when coffee spread and became the drink of the intellectuals, of social gatherings.  Some representatives of the Catholic Church opposed coffee at its first introduction in Italy, believing it to be the Devil's drink. However, Pope Clement VIII tried the coffee and loved the aromatic beverage so much that he blessed it.

Today coffee is the most valuable traded commodity in the world.  It is estimated that 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily in the world .  

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