Educate the Curious: The history of coffee

Coffee, often hailed as the "elixir of the gods," is the second most traded commodity in the world, with a staggering 2.25 billion cups consumed daily. Its story begins in the 11th century, alongside significant historical events like the Crusades, the invention of gunpowder in China, and the invasion of Newfoundland by the Vikings.

IN THE BEGINNING 

Legend has it that a curious Ethiopian goat herder noticed his goats becoming frenzied after eating red berries. Intrigued, he tried them himself, but was warned by a saint that the beans were a forbidden stimulant. So he tossed the beans into a fire to get rid of them, but they released an irresistible aroma! He then ground the roasted coffee beans and brewed the first cup of coffee.

Coffee farming began in Yemen, leading to the rise of coffee houses as cultural hubs. When coffee reached Europe, it initially faced skepticism since it was the drink of the Arabs (and they were in the middle of the Crusades, ya know). Priests wanted the Pope to declare it illegal. However, after tasting it, he famously remarked that if coffee was the devil’s drink, they should "baptize" it instead.

COFFEE & TRANSFORMATION

As coffee spread throughout Europe, it transformed society—pubs became coffee houses, sparking intellectual debate and questioning of authority, paving the way for movements like existentialism and democracy.

In 1740, a coffee plant was gifted from the mayor of Amsterdam to the King of France. Then an entrepreneur took a cutting from that plant to Martinique, leading to the establishment of over 18 million coffee trees in the Caribbean. 

SO, HERE WE HAVE IT

Over in America, Captain John Smith introduced coffee to Jamestown settlers in 1607 after returning from a trip to Turkey. However, coffee was not immediately popular, and tea remained the preferred drink until the Boston Tea Party in 1773. The colonists dumped a shipment of British tea into Boston Harbor to protest the high taxes imposed by the British Parliament. And coffee became the new favorite beverage because it was cheaper to import than tea (and drinking tea was considered unpatriotic). 

During the World Wars, American inventor George C.L. Washington developed a way to mass produce instant coffee, which was sold to the military for soldiers' rations. Soldiers called it "a cup of George" in World War I, and "a cuppa Joe" in World War II. After the war, instant coffee became popular with the public.

Today, around 80% of Americans enjoy coffee daily. Can you imagine life without it? Yeah, neither can we. 

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