The Humble Beginnings Of The Devilish Beverage From Ethiopia
Called “Coffee”
Do you realize the intricate and varied history of coffee as you
sip on a cup of coffee? There is a long and entertaining story
of how coffee was invented, how it migrated to your particular
cup and an unending effort to produce the many flavors of coffee
that continue to make it such a popular beverage.
Each country has added its taste preference and its own way of
brewing as coffee spread around the world. This has resulted in
a plethora of coffee drinks for us all to savor and enjoy. The
unique customs across cultures has also added to this ritual of
drinking coffee.
Where is your favorite coffeehouse? Coffeehouses became very
popular as news about the magical powers of coffee spread from
Ethiopian shepherds and monks in Ethiopia to all corners of the
world.
Despite the popularity of the coffeehouses, they were at times
deemed immoral. They were accused of drawing men away from their
obligations to their homes and religious beliefs. Coffee
drinking was even forbidden periodically because of these evils.
However, the bans on coffee drinking did not last long due to
the strong appeal of the pleasurable drink. The suppression of
coffee drinking based on religious and political grounds was
only a moment in time and coffee became a universal drink in the
Arab lands. Coffee was eventually considered a moral and sober
alternative to wine and spirit drinks. Coffee became a household
word and was adopted into social customs as a featured beverage.
In Arabia, coffee was thrown at the feet of the bride as a
religious offering. In the country of Turkey, coffee became a
staple in the home. Failure to keep a supply of coffee for one’s
wife in the home was considered grounds for divorce in Turkey.
As travelers from Europe returned home they brought with them
tales of the exotic coffee beverage. Coffee was regarded by some
Westerners as the devil’s hellish brew. Despite this horrible
reputation of coffee for some Westerners, it became a Christian
drink with the blessing of Pope Clement VIII who loved the taste
of coffee.
For centuries coffee distribution was controlled by the Arabs.
They held a tight and zealous monopoly on the cultivation of the
coffee plant until the 17th century. In the 17th century Dutch
traders managed to steal some viable seeds and started
commercial plantations in Indonesia.
It was not long until a French officer under the rule of King
Louis XIV felt that the coffee plants should grow equally well
in the French colonies of the West Indies. Gabriel Mathieu de
Clieux and a gardener stole a cutting from a coffee plant in
King Louis XIV’s botanical gardens. He planted the cutting in a
glass trunk and sat sail for the West Indies. His journey was
not easy. More than once Clieux placed his life on the line for
his precious cargo. He fought off a Dutch spy who managed to
tear off one of the plant’s limbs. He shared his ration of water
with the plant when all the sailors were near to perishing of
thirst. Clieux finally arrived at the island of Martinique and
this one single plant started commercial coffee plantations that
successfully rivaled the plantations of the Dutch. It is ironic
to note that the initial cutting was taken from the coffee plant
that was given to King Louis XIV as a gift from the Dutch!
King Louis XIV had a passion for coffee and enjoyed preparing it
for guests in his golden coffeepot. After plantations started in
Martinique a few years later a young Portuguese officer from
Brazil charmed the French governor’s wife in French Guiana. She
secretly saved some coffee cuttings to present to him as a token
of her love for him. The Portuguese officer planted the cuttings
in Brazil and began what are now the largest coffee plantations
in the world.
Called “Coffee”
Do you realize the intricate and varied history of coffee as you
sip on a cup of coffee? There is a long and entertaining story
of how coffee was invented, how it migrated to your particular
cup and an unending effort to produce the many flavors of coffee
that continue to make it such a popular beverage.
Each country has added its taste preference and its own way of
brewing as coffee spread around the world. This has resulted in
a plethora of coffee drinks for us all to savor and enjoy. The
unique customs across cultures has also added to this ritual of
drinking coffee.
Where is your favorite coffeehouse? Coffeehouses became very
popular as news about the magical powers of coffee spread from
Ethiopian shepherds and monks in Ethiopia to all corners of the
world.
Despite the popularity of the coffeehouses, they were at times
deemed immoral. They were accused of drawing men away from their
obligations to their homes and religious beliefs. Coffee
drinking was even forbidden periodically because of these evils.
However, the bans on coffee drinking did not last long due to
the strong appeal of the pleasurable drink. The suppression of
coffee drinking based on religious and political grounds was
only a moment in time and coffee became a universal drink in the
Arab lands. Coffee was eventually considered a moral and sober
alternative to wine and spirit drinks. Coffee became a household
word and was adopted into social customs as a featured beverage.
In Arabia, coffee was thrown at the feet of the bride as a
religious offering. In the country of Turkey, coffee became a
staple in the home. Failure to keep a supply of coffee for one’s
wife in the home was considered grounds for divorce in Turkey.
As travelers from Europe returned home they brought with them
tales of the exotic coffee beverage. Coffee was regarded by some
Westerners as the devil’s hellish brew. Despite this horrible
reputation of coffee for some Westerners, it became a Christian
drink with the blessing of Pope Clement VIII who loved the taste
of coffee.
For centuries coffee distribution was controlled by the Arabs.
They held a tight and zealous monopoly on the cultivation of the
coffee plant until the 17th century. In the 17th century Dutch
traders managed to steal some viable seeds and started
commercial plantations in Indonesia.
It was not long until a French officer under the rule of King
Louis XIV felt that the coffee plants should grow equally well
in the French colonies of the West Indies. Gabriel Mathieu de
Clieux and a gardener stole a cutting from a coffee plant in
King Louis XIV’s botanical gardens. He planted the cutting in a
glass trunk and sat sail for the West Indies. His journey was
not easy. More than once Clieux placed his life on the line for
his precious cargo. He fought off a Dutch spy who managed to
tear off one of the plant’s limbs. He shared his ration of water
with the plant when all the sailors were near to perishing of
thirst. Clieux finally arrived at the island of Martinique and
this one single plant started commercial coffee plantations that
successfully rivaled the plantations of the Dutch. It is ironic
to note that the initial cutting was taken from the coffee plant
that was given to King Louis XIV as a gift from the Dutch!
King Louis XIV had a passion for coffee and enjoyed preparing it
for guests in his golden coffeepot. After plantations started in
Martinique a few years later a young Portuguese officer from
Brazil charmed the French governor’s wife in French Guiana. She
secretly saved some coffee cuttings to present to him as a token
of her love for him. The Portuguese officer planted the cuttings
in Brazil and began what are now the largest coffee plantations
in the world.
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