THE
COFFEE
HISTORY
HISTORY
HISTORY
There’s a lot to cover, so grab a cup of coffee and read on.
Since we already know that coffee is one of the most preferable beverages around the world, we can assume that the story of how coffee was discovered and its historical transmission throughout the years, it could intrigue everyone even those who don't like coffee.
LEGENDS
About the discovery of coffee
Whatever the actual origin of coffee, its energizing effect undoubtedly made it extremely famous all around the world. Ironically, though Islamic authorities pronounced the drink intoxicating and consequently, prohibited by the Qurʾān, many Muslims were attracted to the beverage as a substitute for alcohol, also prohibited by the Qurʾān. Despite the threat of severe penalties, coffee drinking spread rapidly among Arabs and their neighbors and even gave rise to a new social and cultural entity, the coffeehouse.
01
''Ethiopian goatherd legend''
One of many legends about the discovery of coffee is that Kaldi, the 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd who discovered the stimulating effect of coffee when he noticed the strange antics of his flock of goats after eating the beans from a coffee plant. After that, Kaldi supposedly tried the berries of the evergreen, and he also experienced a sense of exhilaration.
02
Sheikh Omar's discovery
Another legend attributes the discovery of coffee to a Sheikh Omar. According to an old chronicle, Omar, who was famous for his ability to cure illness through prayer, was once exiled from Mocha in Yemen to a desert cave near Ousab. Due to the fact that Omar was starving, he chewed berries from the coffee plants and found them too bitter. Then, he tried roasting them in order to improve the flavor, but the seeds became hard. He then tried boiling them to soften the seeds, and the final result was fragrant brown liquid. Once he drank the liquid, Omar was energized and revitalized for days. After his legendary discovery, Omar was asked to return to Mocha and was made a saint.
03
Origins & transition
According to different sources, the coffee berries were first brought to Yemen from Ethiopia by Yemeni traders, and once they recognized how priceless a commodity is they started cultivating the plant.
Actually, the Sufis mainly used this magic beverage made from coffee beans to aid them to concentrate while doing their prayers. Furthermore, they used the coffee energizing effect to keep them awake during their nightly rituals.
The spread of coffee berries started from Yemen to Mecca and Medina, and later to Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo, and Constantinople which were the most important trading cities of the Middle East at the time. Afterward, the spread of coffee continued to Europe, thus changing the whole world's drinking preferences.
