Ethiopia, Kaffa
800 A.D
Goat herder Kaldi observing his energetic goats, reported that to a monk that turned into an energetic praying goat after consuming the roasted beans
Arabian peninsula, Yemen around 15th century (monks are slow), then up to turkey by the 16th century
First appearance of “coffe houses”, places for social activities (“Schools of the Wise.”)
“Wine of Araby” began to spread, with pilgrims coming to Mecca
17th century: coffee is in europe (Venetian merchants, first ever European coffee house was opened in Venice)
As ususal, church banned it in Venice (“invention of satan”) but the Pope liked it a lot
Now a lot of coffe houses in England, France, Austria, Holland (not in Spain)
“Penny universities” in England (1 penny = 1 coffee) : gathering places for academics, artists and intellectuals (London Stock Exchange idea >came from such place). Open places, no background checks
“These coffeehouses were not hushed places of laptops and headphones. They were forums”
“If you had wit and intelligence then you could take a seat at the coffeehouses, and, in all your many caffeinated discussions, you’d find there were few ideas left unexamined”
Intellectual hubs
“Anyone could learn, and anyone could teach, if only you could pay the price of a coffee, which, back then, was a penny”
“Meanwhile, down at the Grecian Coffeehouse, scientists were gathering to watch two scholars dissect a dolphin on a table. Those scholars were Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley”
Buuut strictly for men
(I actually got interrupted while writing this to discuss important topics at the coffee machine)
Another impact:better work quality (starting the day with a coffee is better then with a whisky)
Paris also, at St Germain
To the US, Boston Tea Party fostered coffee consumption (so far tea was preferred)
Missionaries and travelers, traders and colonists continued to carry coffee seeds to new lands
By the end of the 18th century, coffee had become one of the world’s most consumed beverage