The tale of coffee begins in ancient Ethiopia. Legend tells of a goat herder named Kaldi who noticed his goats became energetic after eating red berries from a specific shrub. Intrigued, he tried the berries himself and felt a similar vitality.
Monks from a nearby monastery initially dismissed the berries, even throwing them into a fire. However, the aroma of the roasting beans was so captivating that they quickly retrieved them, crushed them, and mixed them with water, creating the world's first brewed coffee.
Coffee cultivation spread across the Red Sea to Yemen. By the 15th century, it was a major commodity, flourishing in the port of Mocha. It became a central part of Sufi religious practices, helping worshippers stay awake during long prayer sessions. Coffee houses, known as kaveh kanes, soon emerged in the Middle East, acting as centers for intellectual and social exchange, often called "Schools of the Wise."
The drink reached Europe in the 17th century through Venice, a major trading hub. Though initially viewed with suspicion by some religious figures, Pope Clement VIII famously tasted it and approved, effectively blessing its arrival. Coffee quickly gained popularity, leading to the opening of coffee houses in London, Paris, and Vienna.
Dutch traders played a key role in expanding coffee cultivation globally, transporting seedlings to their colonies, notably in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. A gift of a coffee plant to King Louis XIV in 1714 sparked cultivation in the Americas, beginning a journey that made coffee the globally beloved beverage it is today, second only to water in terms of consumption.
