DavidoffCoffee HeritageThe history of coffee growing and drinking spread around the world starts in Ethiopia, where the coffee tree probably originated in the province of Kaffa. There are various fanciful stories surrounding the discovery of the properties of roasted coffee beans. One famous story for example deals with an Ethiopian goatherd who was amazed at the lively behaviour of his goats after chewing red coffee berries. The first coffeehouses were opened in Mecca. They quickly spread throughout the Arab world and became "schools of knowledge" where chess was played, gossip was exchanged, and music was enjoyed. They were luxuriously decorated and each had an individual character. Nothing quite like the coffeehouse had existed before: a place where society and business could be conducted in comfortable surroundings and where anyone could go, for the price of coffee. In 15th century Europe word of coffee’s mysterious reputation preceded its arrival. Habsburg diplomats and Austrian prisoners of war in Turkey brought back news of a "warm black drink" used to combat fatigue and sadness. The first Austrian coffeehouse was opened in Vienna in 1697. From there Cafés were opened in numerous capitals and trade cities, and in the salons of noble society coffee was seen as a moderate luxury. During the industrial revolution, coffee came to the middle class, and new methods paved the way for larger volumes of production. Coffee as an ‘everyday’ drink first caught on in Europe in the fifties, once it had become affordable for all social classes. Today, coffee belongs to the world’s most famous beverages. And the cultivated taste for a good cup of coffee is highly appreciated among connoisseurs all over the world. |