Who doesn’t love a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning? As you can imagine, this wonder plant was discovered thousands of years ago, indeed, we believe it was first consumed in Ethiopia in the 15th century and very quickly, this spread to other parts of the Middle East. The Ottoman Empire welcomed coffee into its society and in the 16th century, coffee arrived in Italy, a country that is synonymous with the beverage today.
European invasion
The Mediterranean trade routes solidified in the 16th century and coffee quickly became a sought-after commodity, as its use spread throughout Europe. The Ottomans introduced coffee to Eastern Europe and by the start of the 17th century, the drink arrived in India. If you are an avid fan of espresso, check out the amazing Breville dynamic duo pack, which is full of accessories.
The rise of coffee houses
The late 17th century saw the establishment of coffee houses in Western Europe, specifically in Holland, Germany and England, while at the same time, coffee was planted in Martinique, and this started a supply of coffee to the New World.
South America
By the mid-19th century, Brazil became the world’s top producer of coffee and to this day, the country is still the number one producer of coffee. As the demand for coffee grew, other South American countries began to plant beans and joined Brazil in exporting beans to all parts of the world. Other major producers include Vietnam, Colombia, Ivory Coast and Ethiopia; modern production methods enable bigger yields and since the turn of the century, other nations are growing coffee, as the demand increases.
Dutch East India Company
There was a race to obtain and cultivate coffee trees in the 17th century and it was a Dutch trader who managed to get his hands on some coffee plants in Yemen and brought them to Amsterdam, where they thrived. The trees were kept in the Botanical Gardens and with great care, they grew well and the arabica bushes were taken to Ceylon and southern India, where they continued to do well. From such a small beginning, the coffee tree slowly conquered the world and became the most popular beverage ever! Click here to learn how to cook the perfect steak.
Missionaries
Those who wished to travel the world preaching their religion would take coffee seedlings as a form of offering; when you are making contact with an unknown civilisation, it makes sense to bring as many gifts as you can and coffee seedlings were given to cultures all over the world; some took, while others did not. Missionaries played a vital role in spreading the word (and seedlings) to the far corners of the world, ensuring that everyone knew of this amazing drink.
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