To know the origin of coffee and its long journey across continents, you need a cup of this caffeinated drink. So, grab it first, and then read on! This fascinating story begins in Ethiopia as the coffee originated there and then gradually stolen, smuggled, and reached other parts of the world. Coffee's journey through time is remarkable. It made its place in every corner of the globe owing to its pleasant aroma, taste, and benefits.
Legends say coffee was discovered by a lonely goatherd named Kaldi in the 9th century. One day, he saw his goats were acting strangely after eating some berries from a tree. They were dancing. This abnormal behaviour of his goats made him curious to know about the fruit in question. The guy shared this with a monk who became ecstatic to learn more about the effects of berries. He threw the fruits into the fire and picked the roasted beans from the embers, and dissolved them in water. This is how the first cup of coffee was made.
Later in the 15th century, coffee made its way from Africa to Yemen across the red sea. It arrived at a port of this Middle Eastern country named Mocha that became synonymous with the beverage's name. The locals then started to grow coffee in Yemen. The drink gradually became popular in Persia, Egypt, and Turkey. Coffee was so known in the Arab that people began calling it “wine of Araby.”
Arab became the gatekeeper of coffee to ensure nobody could take fertile coffee beans to other countries for plantation. Those who wanted coffee used to purchase it from Yemen. The status changed after a Sufi saint named Baba Budan went to Mecca in 1670 and smuggled some fertile beans to India. That’s what led to the beginning of coffee cultivation in India. Nowadays, large scale coffee farming happens in the Southern part of India.
All thanks to Baba Budan!