History confirms that the first coffee plants were found in Ethiopia around the 9th century and then expanded to Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula where the recipe slowly evolved. Then the journey of coffee around the world began. From the Middle East, coffee spread to Italy introduced to the wealthy by the Venetian merchants. Dutch traders brought the seeds to their different colonies in Asia and coffee also found his way to the Americas. Today, the taste characteristics of coffee are not only dependent on growing regions but also in processing, and can be distinguished by the differences in flavor, aroma, body and acidity.
Origins
There are many stories and legends associated with the discovery of coffee, created by people in order to explain in simple words the existence of this “magic” drink.
One of the most well-known, if not the most famous is that of Kaldi, an Abyssinian shepherd. According to popular legend, Kaldi brought his goats to pasture and noticed that they behaved very strangely after consuming the bright red berries from a certain bush. Trying these fruits, he found himself full of energy. Intrigued by what was happening, he took some of these berries and leaves to a nearby monastery where the monks cooked the fruits. They prepared a decoction and after drinking it, noted that it kept them awake also during the prayer vigils. The magic beverage quickly became their favorite drink in order to stay awake longer to pray all night.
