One day your kids are going to ask you, “Mom…Dad….where does coffee come from?” You’ll need to sit down and tell them the story of the history of coffee and the Ethiopian goatherd and his goats.
Technically, it’s only a legend but Kaldi, the Ethiopian goatherd, is credited with the discovery of the coffee plant. The story takes place in 800 AD. Kaldi noticed the energizing effect the red berries the goats were eating had on his herd. He then tried them himself and was amazed at the effects. When he shared the discovery with the chief monk, the monk disapproved and threw the berries into the fire. However, the aroma was so nice Kaldi and the monk did not give up on the berries and began roasting them and eventually dissolved the embers into hot water. And there you have it. The first cup o’ Joe.
Regardless of how true the legend is, coffee did originate in Ethiopia and the story has influenced coffee as we know it today. The name Kaldi is often used for coffee shops and companies all over the world.
After Kaldi, the goatheard, discovered coffee and it spread through the Muslim world, it eventually spread to Europe. First, it spread only by word of mouth. Travelers returned to Europe and told others about the mysterious beverage. By the 1600s, Europe finally had coffee. The Dutch had plantations in India and present day Indonesia. They were the first major supplies of coffee to Europe.
But not everyone was a fan of coffee. Many called it the “bitter invention of Satan” and the clergy condemned it in Venice. All the commotion eventually got the Pope’s attention. Before making a statement, he tried coffee and enjoyed it enough to give it Papal approval.
Even among the controversy, coffee houses became all the rage in major European cities. In England they were referred to as “penny universities” because one could pay a penny for coffee and take part in thought-provoking conversation.
These early coffee houses had lasting affects. Edward Lloyd’s Coffee House was where Lloyd’s of London was created.
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