The history of coffee starts with a legend. It was said that one night in the Ethiopian highlands a goat ate some berries from a certain tree. These berries gave the goat so much energy that it did not want to go to sleep. This finding spread to the Arabian Peninsula.
The Arabs started cultivating and trading coffee. Coffee was very popular with the Muslims because the energizing effects of coffee made a suitable substitute of alcohol. Coffee was drunk in homes and special coffee houses. Theses coffee houses promoted all kinds of social activity of conversation, listening to music, current news updates and live performers. From here coffee spread to Europe.
By the 17th century coffee had made its way to Europe. Stories of a dark black beverage began circulating. In 1615 coffee traveled to Venice where the local clergy condemned it. With such great controversy the Pope was asked to intervene. As we can see today the Pope liked the coffee and gave approval. As coffee houses sprang up and grew in popularity in Arabian Peninsula, it grew in Europe as well. By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London.
Around this same time coffee was brought to the New World. Tea continued to be the favored drink until the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
With demand growing, Arabia could not keep up. Coffee plantations popped up in many places. Coffee had become one of the world’s most profitable export crop by the end of the 18th enctury.