Coffee Information
(Circa A.D. 800)
Goats will eat anything. Just ask Kaldi the legendary Ethiopian goatherd. Kaldi, the story goes, noticed his herd dancing from one coffee shrub to another, grazing on the cherry-red berries containing the beans. He copped a few himself and was soon frolicking with his flock.
Witnessing Kaldi’s goatly gambol, a monk plucked berries for his brothers. That night they were uncannily alert to divine inspiration.
History tells us other Africans of the same era fueled up on protein-rich coffee-and-animal-fat balls—primitive PowerBars—and unwound with wine made from coffee-berry pulp. Coffee later crossed the Red Sea to Arabia, where things really got cooking...
"©National Geographic"
During a recent archeological dig in Yemen, a stone mortar and pestle were uncovered. And inside the bowl was ground roasted coffee. The coffee was submitted to a lab for analysis, and radio-carbon dated to aproximately 1500 BC. From this we see that, for at least three thousand five hundred years, generation after generation of civilized folk have enjoyed the seed of the coffee plant, roasted in fire, and ground, prior to extracting its essence. We hope that you will discover your favorite coffee(s) from our extensive offerings below and add their names to your personal history of brewing!
Brewing Coffee
There are many factors involved in brewing the perfect cup of coffee including: amount, strength, freshness, storage, grinding, brewer maintenance, and water filtration.
Choosing Coffee
All coffees are not alike. Where the trees are grown, the grade of beans produced, and how the beans are roasted all affect a coffee's flavor and aroma.
Coffee Appeal
Tea and cocoa are poor substitutes for coffee. At least chocolate drinks have body and complexity yet little caffeine. Tea has some caffeine yet lack complexity and body. The caffeine in good tasting coffee is generally secondary in its comforting effect.
Coffee Quotes
As early as the 6th century, Arabs and Abyssinians were aware of the stimulating effects of coffee. Abyssinians crushed and ate the pulp and the Arabs made tea from the dried leaves and pulp. Neither roasted the seeds until about the 11th century when word got around that they had a great aroma when burnt.
“O coffee, thou dost dispel all cares,
thou art the object of desire to the scholar.” Arab poem.
Measured in Cups
The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., "Over the Teacups," 1891