The Fascinating History of Coffee: From Antiquity to Modern Times
Origins in Ethiopia The most famous legend about the discovery of coffee tells the story of a goat herder named Kaldi. Around the 9th century, Kaldi noticed that his goats became extremely energetic after eating red berries from a particular shrub. Curious, he tried the berries and felt a surge of energy. Kaldi shared his discovery with a local monk, who made a drink from the berries and used it to stay awake during long hours of prayer. But it's not all folklore. Archaeological evidence suggests coffee plants were used as far back as the 10th century. It wasn't just a jolt of energy but a whole new way of life that this potent little berry introduced. In many ways, it kicked off a caffeine-fueled revolution. Expansion through the Islamic World Coffee reached the Islamic world around the 15th century, first being cultivated in Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula. The beverage quickly became popular throughout the Middle East, consumed in coffee houses known as "qahveh khaneh....
