The Origins and History of Coffee

Coffee is a brewed drink made from the roasted seeds of several species of an evergreen shrub of the genus Coffea, namely Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. English word coffee comes from Dutch koffie, which came from Turkish kahve, which is, in turn, borrowed from Arabic qahwa, which is a short form of qahhwat al-bun which means "wine of the bean". There is also theory that Turkish kahve comes from Arabic qahā, which means "to have no appetite" because it was believed that this beverage dulls hunger.Cmspresso is the process that slowly and gradually releases the purest of essence. As tea leaves unravel and coffee patiently drips, it is the best representation of the making of tea and coffee. We want the tea and coffee from Cmspresso to express their many levels of character through a thoughtful and caring hand.

Coffee History - Coffee Drinks in History

Coffee is an important part of human culture for centuries. There are even legends that describe how we found about coffee and its effect on human body. From it, we made hundreds different coffee drinks and it is still important today as it was ten centuries ago. Learn more about coffee history.

Legends of Coffee

The history of coffee begins somewhere around thirteenth century but we don't know precisely when because we don't have written documents about when we started to use it as a refreshing drink. What we have are the legends so they'll have to do.
First one says that a Yemenite Sufi mystic Ghothul Akbar Nooruddin Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili was traveling through Ethiopia and on that travel he noticed some birds that were unusually lively. He tried the berries he saw that the birds had been eating and felt the same vigor. Berries were the coffee cherries.
Second legend says that coffee was discovered by a Sheik Abou'l Hasan Schadheli's disciple - Omar. Although he was known for his ability to cure the sick through prayer, he was once exiled from Mocha to a desert cave near Ousab and was trying to survive. While trying some berries from a shrubbery, he found them to be bitter. He roasted and boiled them and got a drink from which he felt better. When the stories of the drink reached Mocha, Omar was asked to return and was made a saint.
Third legend says that a goat-herder noticed that his goats behaved restless when they eat berries from the bush so he tried them himself.
History tells us differently. The first evidence of coffee drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of the Yemen in southern Arabia. It came there from Ethiopia where it was native. From there coffee spread to Egypt and North Africa. By the 16th century, it was known on the rest of the Middle East, Persia and Turkey. Middle East was the point from which coffee spread to Italy and from there to the rest of the Europe. Dutch transported coffee to the East Indies and to the Americas.
After the Venice, where coffee came first in Europe, first real coffeehouses appeared in Vienna in 1683 after the Battle of Vienna. British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company imported the first coffee to Britain in 16th century. In 1669, Soleiman Agha, Ambassador from Sultan Mehmed IV, brought large quantity of coffee beans. North Sea ports of Germany had first German coffeehouses in 18th century. Gabriel de Clieu brought coffee seedlings to Martinique in the Caribbean somewhere in 1720 while the coffee was introduced to Brazil in 1727. Coffee was introduced to India in 1670 and it grows coffee since then. Japan first heard for coffee in 17th century but it was very affected by trading bans and import barriers that happened from time to time. Today, Japan is one of the leading per capita coffee consumers in the world.

History of Instant Coffee

Instant coffee , also known as soluble coffee and coffee powder, is a drink derived from brewed coffee beans. It is manufactured by either freeze-drying or spray drying methods, after which rehydrated before use. These methods are applied because that way you get coffee that is prepared faster, has lower shipping weight and volume than beans or ground coffee for the same amount of prepared drink and longer shelf life if kept dry.
The first "instant coffee" is made in Britain in 1771. It was called a "coffee compound" and had a patent granted by the British government. The first American instant coffee was created in 1851. It was used during the Civil War and experimental "cakes" of instant coffee were shared in rations to soldiers. David Strang of Invercargill, New Zealand invented and patented instant or soluble coffee in 1890. For its manufacturing it used something called "Dry Hot-Air" process. The first successful method of creating a stable soluble coffee powder was invented by Japanese-American chemist Satori Kato of Chicago in 1901. It was patented in 1903. George Constant Louis Washington, American inventor of Beglian descent developed his own instant coffee process after Kato and made a first commercial brand of it in 1910. During the First World War, instant coffee becomes very popular because U.S. military buys all available supplies and shares it in soldier's rations. In 1930 Brazil has large coffee surpluses which spoil after a longer time so the Brazilian Coffee Institute asks the chairman of the Nestles company to create a flavorful soluble coffee product which will help with the storage problem and also possibly increase overall coffee sales. Methods invented by that moment had their flavors considered inferior and didn't dissolve very well. Nestle agrees and begins several years of research into the problem. Breakthrough comes in 1937 when Nestle scientist Max Morgenthaler invents a new instant coffee making method. The new product is named Nescafe. In 1938 the begun selling it and because process involves drying equal amounts of coffee extract and soluble carbohydrates, it makes a better tasting instant coffee which quickly becomes very popular. In the times of the Second World War, instant coffee is again very popular among the soldiers. In 1954 Nescafe develops a method to produce instant coffee using only coffee, without added carbohydrates for stabilization like before. An instant coffee that looks better is invented in 1960s. It uses method called agglomeration, which is done by steaming the instant coffee particles which make them to stick together in clumps. Only problem is that another heating further worsens the coffee's flavor. New method called freeze-drying becomes the preferred method of making instant coffee because it generally results in a higher-quality product with better taste. In 1986 Nestle introduces a decaffeinated instant coffee.
To be made into instant coffee, green coffee bean itself is first roasted which brings out flavor and aroma. Beans are then ground finely and dissolved in water. Solution is then dried by one of two methods: freeze drying, which is the removal of water by sublimation; or spray drying. Before use powder or clumps are dissolved in hot water.

History of Espresso Coffee

Espresso is a type of coffee made by brewing in a special way. It is made by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. It has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids which makes it thicker and much stronger. Espresso has more caffeine per unit volume than most other types of coffee, but is served in smaller sizes. Espresso is made with espresso machine of which there are steam-driven machine, piston-driven pump-driven and air-pump-driven.
There are few ideas about the meaning of the name espresso because words express, expres and espresso each have several meanings in English, French and Italian. The first meaning comes from "pressure" because you "express" or squeeze the flavor from the coffee using the pressure of the steam. The second comes from speed in which coffee is made like and "express train". Finally coffee is made one by one - "expressly" for a person.
In 1884, the first espresso machine was patented by Angelo Moriondo from Turin. It held a name of "New steam machinery for the economic and instantaneous confection of coffee beverage, method 'A. Moriondo". Unlike later espresso machines, it was a bulk brewer and brewed coffees for more customers at the time.
1901, Luigi Bezzera, from Milano, patented an improved espresso machine. It had a boiler and four "groups" that held varying sized filters that contained the coffee and was called "Tipo Gigante".
Desiderio Pavoni bought Bezzera's patent in 1903 and started to produce espresso machines in 1905 founding "La Pavoni" company.
The first espresso machine was installed in the United States in 1927. It was a "La Pavoni" machine and was installed at Reggio's in New York.

The first espresso machines forced steam through the coffee, which made a burnt flavor. A piston pump was developed by Cremonesi in 1938. It forced hot and not boiling water through the coffee which gave more natural taste and had a layer of foam which in time became one of the major characteristics of espresso coffee. The first one was installed at Achille Gaggia's coffee bar. Unfortunately World War II prevented further development of this type of espresso machine at that time.
Gaggia started producing commercial piston machines after the war in 1946.
In 1961 Faema company makes a pump based machine which uses an electric pump to deliver water under pressure. Water comes from the fresh water supply, goes through a tube that is heated with a boiler and then goes through the coffee. That way water has optimal temperature and does not stay in the boiler for a long period becoming stale. Almost all modern machines are based on this design.
Espresso machines are still improved but in details and are still hand operated. Other are made to do the whole process of preparing the espresso, from grinding the beans, frothing the milk and delivering a cup with one command.
In the United Kingdom, espresso grew in popularity among youth in the 1950s in the standard form as well as cappuccino which is espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. In the United States, it became popular in the form of lattes (espresso and steamed milk), in combination with flavored syrups added.

History of Cappuccino Coffee – Cappuccino Types

A cappuccino is a type of coffee drink. It comes from Italy and is prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam and is made in a steam-producing espresso machine.
Before there was a cappuccino as we know it today there were variants of coffee that in time became this distinct type of coffee. At first, coffee was prepared by boiling the mixture of coffee and water together with sometimes added sugar. This was known as a traditional Ottoman preparation of the drink. In the 2nd half of the 17th century, British began to filter and steep coffee and that fashion spread to France and the other parts of Europe. Adding milk to coffee was known in Europe in 17th century also and even advised. Cappuccino comes from the coffee beverage "Kapuziner" which appeared for the first time in the Viennese coffee houses in the 1700s. It was made as coffee with cream and sugar or coffee with cream, spices and sugar. For this version was used whipped cream. This type of coffee, when it was made in other places, outside of Vienna was referred to as "Viennese Coffee" or "Café Viennois". Its name as well cappuccino comes from the Capuchin friars, referring to the color of their habits.
Cappuccino, as is written today, appeared for the first time in northern Italy in the 1930s. At first it was made in "viennese" style - with a whipped cream which is sprinkled with cinnamon or chocolate. The steamed milk variant appeared later. The real espresso machines became widespread only during the 1950s and people started making cappuccino with espresso instead with standard coffee. In this form, cappuccino is known around the world from that moment on. "Kapuziner" still exists unchanged on the Austrian coffee menu.
When a cup of espresso is made, beside an espresso shot, texture and temperature of the milk is very important. Microfoam is created by introducing very tiny bubbles of air into the milk which makes characteristic steamed-milk cream. Standard cappuccino consists of an espresso, on which is poured hot foamed milk, in a 2 cm layer of milk foam on top. Amount of milk may vary and if you pour more milk you get cappuccino chiaro - light cappuccino, also called wet cappuccino, and if you pour less steamed milk you get cappuccino scuro - dark cappuccino, or dry cappuccino.
There is also cappuccino Freddo which is a cold version of a cappuccino. It is made by adding a small amount of cold frothed milk atop of cappuccino. It is popular in Greece and some parts of Italy. Some other parts of Italy have gelato da bere which is a thick blend of gelato, Italian ice-cream and espresso, while other have shakerato, an espresso and ice shaken together. Canada has iced cappuccinos which are sold in Tim Hortons coffee chains. It is a is a frozen coffee drink made from thick black syrup mixed with water and blended with cream, milk or chocolate milk in accordance with the wishes of the costumer.

Brief History

There are few legends of how we began to use coffee and they date from 13th century. One says that Yemenite Sufi mystic Ghothul Akbar Nooruddin Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili was traveling in Ethiopia and there he observed birds of unusual liveliness. He tried the berries that the birds had been eating and felt the same energy. Other legend mentions Sheik Abou'l Hasan Schadheli's disciple - Omar. Omar was once exiled from Mocha to a desert cave near Ousab and, while trying to survive, he tried berries from some shrub and found them to be bitter. He then tried to roast the beans with the idea to improve the flavor but roasting made them hard. He then boiled the roasted beans trying to soften the beans, and made a fragrant brown liquid. Omar drunk the liquid, felt new energy and sustained for days. When the news of "miracle drug" reached Mocha, Omar was asked to return and was made a saint.
There are other legends also but it is known that the first people to know about energizing effect of the native coffee plant were Ethiopian ancestors of today's Oromo ethnic group, an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and parts of Somalia. From the Sufi monasteries of the Yemen in southern Arabia comes the first credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree. Coffee spread from Mocha, a port city on the Red Sea coast of Yemen, to Egypt and North Africa and from there the Middle East, Persia and Turkey where it arrives in 16th century. From there it arrived to Italy and the rest of Europe. Dutch transported coffee plants to the East Indies and to the both Americas.
The first real coffeehouse in Austria was opened in Vienna in 1683 after the Battle of Vienna. It used supplies from bags of coffee beans obtained from spoils after defeating the Turks. Coffee became available in England in 16th century by importing by the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company. Coffeehouses started appearing in England at the same time and by 1675, there were more than 3,000 coffeehouses. In France, custom of drinking coffee among Parisians was established by Soleiman Agha, Ambassador from Sultan Mehmed IV, who arrived in Paris in 1669, and brought a large quantity of coffee beans with him. Coffee arrived to Americas through Caribbean in 18th century. They were brought by Gabriel de Clieu, a naval officer, in the form of coffee seedlings which in 50 years made 18,680 coffee trees in Martinique. Coffee came to the Isle of Bourbon, today Réunion, in the Indian Ocean and from there to Brazil making so-called Santos coffee. Brazilian coffee began growing in 1727 and really flourished after the independence in 1822. Many farm used slaves which led to unrests and bloody suppressions. Today Brazil is a major producer of coffee.

Here are some facts about coffee:

- Today, over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed in the world every day.
- Brazil is the greatest producer of the coffee in the world. Almost a third of the entire world's coffee is produced there.
- 54% of Americans, older than 18, drinks coffee every day.
- Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world. The first one is oil.
- The lethal dose of caffeine is around 100 cups of coffee.
- Coffee can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, dementia and Parkinson's disease.
- Moderate coffee drinking also has heart benefit.
- Citizens of New York City consume 7 times more coffee than people from any other city in the United States.
- Presence of coffee played an equally important role in establishing slavery in Cuba as production and selling of sugar.
- Coffee plant contains caffeine to attract bees as pollinators while it is, at the same time, a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects that eat the plant.

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The Origins and History of Coffee

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