History of Coffee

It is believed that in the 9th century, a shepherd named Khaldi, who lived in Ethiopia, discovered the coffee beans through his goats. After taking his goats to graze, he noticed that they were behaving differently than usual. Curious, he observed that they were eating the red fruits of a tree. Khaldi tried the same fruit and soon felt an increase in his energy and alertness. This discovery quickly spread and became a part of Ethiopia’s culture.

In the early days, both the leaves and the fruits were consumed. A more practical method emerged, and the fruit began to be consumed as a tea by boiling. Additionally, the seeds were ground and mixed with animal fat, forming an energy snack that was also consumed.

Due to trade with the Arabs, the spread of the beverage to the Arabian Peninsula happened rapidly. After Ethiopia, coffee trees were cultivated in Yemen. Coffee was initially considered a medicine by the Arabs but quickly transformed into a daily consumed food.

In 1536, following the Ottoman Turks’ occupation of Yemen, everything changed, and coffee became a crucial commodity in trade. Coffee was predominantly shipped from Yemen’s Mocha Port. Knowing the significant income potential of coffee, the Turks, to maintain a monopoly on coffee cultivation, refrained from sending coffee without boiling or roasting. However, everything changed when a merchant named Baba Budan carried coffee fruits in his stomach and planted them on the Mysore mountain in India.

In history, the Netherlands’ prominence in sea trade facilitated its spread across Europe. The Dutch cultivated coffee trees on numerous islands in the Indian Ocean. Coffee was first sold in Europe in Italy in the year 1650. The first coffee shop was opened in Istanbul by Kiva Han in 1555. After the Second Siege of Vienna, the Austrians, who were burning the spoils left behind, were stopped by a person named Georg Franz Kolschitzky, who had once lived with the Arabs. Recognizing the scent of coffee among the burning spoils, Kolschitzky, with his knowledge of roasting, grinding, and brewing, opened a coffee shop named ‘caffe’ in Venice in 1683, influencing the entire Europe.