Coffee Coffee Coffee

The origins of coffee are sketchy to say the least, and the journey from bean to cup through the ages has not been without controversy. We can all agree that coffee originated in the East around 850 A.D. and in all probability coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, followed closely by Yemen.

I love the story of the goat herder. It was said that Kaldi was on the hillside waiting to bring his goats in for the evening, and when he blew his flute the goats didn’t come down the mountainside. So like all good goat herders, Kaldi went in search of his goats. After finding them, he noticed that far from being tired after a day of munching on the lush grass, his goats were in a playful mood and full of energy. They had been eating the red cherries from the bush. Kaldi picked some berries and ate them. God only knows what the boy was thinking? He could have been poisoned. Kaldi got his first hit of bitter caffeine and started behaving like his goats. Strange boy, I hear you say. He returned to to the village to recount his story to the elders. Unfortunately, the elders were not as impressed with Kaldi’s bitter tasting coffee beans, and threw them on the fire. The smell of the coffee was incredible. The elders removed the cooked beans, ground them and added water. Hey presto, a cup of coffee was born.

I am sure this tale has been embellished over the years. There is no tangible proof that it ever happened, so please disregard any romantic notions that it may have conjured up.

The origin of coffee is still a mystery. We do know, however, that coffee was considered the devil’s work among western society. However, when Pope Clement II gave it his blessing, with a simple baptism, coffee drinkers were no longer considered as heretics to be burnt at the stake. Happy days!