Coffee

Coffee after tea is the most popular non-alcoholic beverage. The word originated from
the Turkish word Kahve or the Arabic word Qahwah meaning stimulating drink.

Origin and history of coffee

An interesting story associated with the origin of coffee goes that Kaldi, the goatherd
discovered that a wild berry had caused his normally docile sheep to be very active and
tried the berry himself. Pleased with his discovery he took the berry to the monks who
condemned it as the work of the devil and threw it into the fire. The aroma that arose by
roasting the berries enchanted the monks and the devil’s work was turned to god’s
work. A few berries were collected and mixed with water and consumed.
However the discovery occurred, the fact remains that the coffee plant was born in
Africa in an Ethiopian region (Kaffa). From there it spread to Yemen, Arabia and Egypt,
where it developed enormously, and entered popular daily life.
The word is also said to have originated from the Turkish word Kahve or the Arabic
word Qahwah meaning ‘stimulating drink’.
It was popularized in Europe by Pope Clement VIII contrary to the popular belief in
clergy that it was not a good beverage.
The early coffee houses sprung around the universities and were hence known as
penny universities.
Originally, coffee was associated with the Middle East that either a Turkish coffee pot or
a Sultan’s head indicated every coffee house. Coffee beans were initially cultivated only
in Arabia and the secret was guarded heavily. To ensure that no cultivation of coffee
takes place even the beans that were exported were roasted. The Dutch spies
managed to smuggle few beans and in turn began to guard the secret. Palheta who
charmed the Dutch Governor’s wife introduced coffee cultivation to Brazil and she gifted
him with a bouquet of flowers within which was hidden coffee seedlings.
Coffee reached America in 1660 courtesy the Dutch. When King George imposed tax
on tea the Americans retaliated by throwing all the tea in the sea – an event known in
history as the Boston tea party. This revolt popularized coffee in America and to this
date an American’s day is never complete without coffee.

The coffee plant

The coffee plant grows in the tropical regions 20 o north and 35o south of the equator and
at a temperature of 75 oF. It is a botanical entity and thrives in volcanic soil and
decompose. It takes a minimum of 5-6 yrs from seedling to fruit production. It grows to a
height of 30 ft but is pruned to about 4-5 ft as at this height it produces the best fruit. A
new species of Coffee now developed known as the Cafe Catura matures in 3 years. A
single coffee plant produces 12 tons of berries yielding about 4-5 tons of beans. The
Coffee berry has two beans within. The peaberry is that variety, which has a single bean
inside. The coffee berries ripen haphazardly and hence the plant has to be visited a
number of times in a year. Therefore, there is no mechanical system of harvesting the
berries as yet.