The Journey of Coffee
Your day is packed with a lot of things to take care of. You play your role. You can either be an office person, a straight A student in your class, or simply a day dreaming machine out in the corner. Whoever you are, you always make it a point that the sun shines brightly than ever before. You want things to be perfect, that is why you ensure that all routines and plans run as smoothly as possible. You never turn away from what makes you the best that you can be. Of course, you perform all this alongside your most trusted beverage. Coffee is undoubtedly part of every success story in this world. Now why don’t you offer a bit of your precious time? Come venture into the journey of coffee.
Record books indicate that coffee has lived as long as the ninth century. Ethiopian highlanders were the first to toil the soil for coffee beans. Legends were formulated around these beans. There was this Yemenite Sufi mystic known as Shaikh ash-Shadhili who was said to be journeying in the lands of Ethiopia. During his accounted travel he had an encounter with goats having tremendous amounts of vigor and vitality. He saw that the goats were eating some sort of berry so he tried it himself after which he also had a refreshing moment. A goat herder called Kaldi was also part of the coffee stories in the ancient times. This goat herder was part of the legend of the dancing goats. The coffee plant was said to have originated in an Ethiopian kingdom known as Kaffa thus giving the beverage its name. The Arabs then opened their gates for world trade making it possible for these tiny delights to reach the boundaries of Africa. Due to mass-cultivation, the coffee hysteria reached as far as India and Europe.
Coffee exports from Ethiopia initially dealt with Yemen. Upon having the beans, the Yemeni were able to engage in their own cultivation. The beverage was primarily not welcomed specifically by the conservative imams in Mecca. According to accounts they were not ready to embrace the stimulating effects of coffee. Sultan Selim I along with Mehmet Ebussuud el-Imadi saw the increasing popularity of the drink and allowed for the circulation of coffee within the region. It wasn’t until the latter half of the 19th century that Ethiopians also gave coffee better regards. This was due to the fact that Emperor Menilek himself embraced the consumption of the beverage.
Coffee reached the European ports via the trades that steadily grew between the Italians and the Muslims in Egypt and North Africa. Venice was particularly the place of coffee’s birth. The merchants saw the opportunity of showing off a new product and then began selling it to the members of the rich class. Coffee’s reputation was then boosted by the blessing coming from none other than Pope Clement VIII despite allegations that it was a Muslim beverage. From then on the aromatic and invigorating effects of coffee moved wildly across Europe. The rich aroma of coffee then made its mark on countries such as England, France, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. Due in part to France’s colonization schemes, the coffee extravaganza was able to reach the homes of the American natives.
It is a fact that understanding and appreciating each beginning is a key part of living your life. The journey of coffee has come a long way. Be thankful that it has reached your very own cup.
No tags for this post.
Tags: 
Loading ...