the-history-of-coffee
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The History of Coffee

Well most of us won’t deny how much we love this bevvy! Across the streets of Kangaroo Point, there we could easily locate a café that offers a delish flat white, cappuccino or latte…just name it. Amazing how the coffee industry benefits from Aussie coffee lovers! Based on IBIS World report published in August 2016, the revenue for this industry is expected to rise from 7.2% over the five years through 2016 to 2017. Fair dinkum! This means, coffee lovers like us have great contribution in the support of the coffee businesses and employment!

But then, how this coffee got into our land? Let’s trace it back to Ethiopia in the 10th century. It said that the undomesticated coffee originated in Ethiopia and the knowledge of the first coffee drinking was in Yemen back in 15th Century. There were several legends and stories that tell how coffee was discovered and used in the ancient civilization. It is said that the first to discover how the native coffee plant revitalizes were the ancestors of the largest ethnic group Oromo inhabiting in Ethiopia.One legend tells about a Yemenite Sufi mystic Ghothul Akbar NooruddinAbdul al-Hasan al-Shadhili that while travelling in Ethiopia, he has observed some birds that have gained vitality after eating the berries. So he tried it for himself and same thing happened to him. Another legend talks about the discovery of drinking coffee. A man named Omar who heals the sick through prayers was sent to exile. Out of starvation, he tried to eat some of the berries but found it bitter. To improve its taste, he tried to roast the berries but became hard berries. He eventually brought them to boil. Finally, he discovered the aroma and good taste of drinking coffee.

Legends and stories have been told about the native coffee beans. But coffee beans mainly started in Ethiopia and exported them to Yemen. These traders from Yemen brought the beans to their homeland and planted them into their lands. It somehow helped the spread of the news about coffee in the nearby regions.

Coffee was introduced to Europe in the Island of Malta in the 16th century. Turkish Muslim who were also coffee drinkers have introduced it when they are under the slavery and imprisonment of the Knights of Saint John. Eventually in the late 16th century, the coffee has reached England through the efforts of the Dutch East India Company and British East India Company. Coffee shops have emerged and the acceptance of drinking coffee was widely accepted.

Coffee was then brought to Australia by the year 1788. With the influence of European migrants, new tastes were derived from the native coffee. To date, most of us love the taste of flat white, cappuccino or latte.

Which coffee do you like?! Whatever flavour you like, we must thank the people who brought this ace brevvy!

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Mary Smith

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