Coffee Information

History of Arabian Coffee


Arabian coffee is the quintessential coffee of the world. Arabia lends its name to the highest quality coffee plant in the world, Coffea Arabica. Arabian coffee accounts for about 80% of all coffee produced in the world. It prefers higher elevations and drier climates than its cousin C. robusta.

The tropics of South America provide ideal conditions for growing Arabian coffee which grows best between 3,000 and 6,500 feet but has been grown as high as 9,000 feet. Generally, the higher the plant is grown the slower it matures. This gives it time to develop the internal elements and oils that give coffee its aromatic flavor.

Coffee was originally discovered in Ethiopia, just across the Red Sea from Arabia. Coffee soon made its way to Yemen where it was embraced by the Islamic people. Soon it became a beverage endorsed by the Islamic clerics as drinking alcohol was prohibited in their religion. Arabian coffee soon came to be known as an Islamic beverage.

Arabian coffee was exported to Europe where the people embraced it. However, the Catholic Cardinals shunned it as the 'Devil's drink' and tried to have it banned.

But then Pope Clement VIII decided that it would be imprudent to ban the beverage without having tasted it, so he summoned a sample. As legend has it, the Pope was immediately enamored by the distinct, pungent aroma and taste. He decided that to banish the delightful drink would be a greater sin. So he baptized it on the spot claiming that it would be a shame to let the impious ones have this delightful drink all to themselves.

Arabian coffee is still a part of the Islamic faith and is use in ritualistic ceremonies.

Arabian coffee growers protected their monopoly on the prized plant. They were the exclusive providers of coffee throughout the world for several hundred years.

That is until a coffee plant finally made its way to the Caribbean. This began a new legacy of high-quality coffee in Latin America.

It is said that all the Arabica coffee grown in the world started from this plant as cuttings were transplanted all over the world. Arabian coffee is truly the source of coffee throughout the world.

The word mocha comes from the name Mokha, the shipping port in Yemen where all Arabian coffee was exported. Mocha has become a term used for describing a coffee beverage in which chocolate is added. But originally it had nothing to do with chocolate.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has more articles on coffee such as Colombian Coffee, Coffee and Alzheimers and Coffee Breaks.


MORE RESOURCES:

The Associated Press

Amsterdam moves to close a fifth of 'coffee shops'
The Associated Press - Nov 21, 2008
More than a quarter of the country's coffee shops are in Amsterdam, where they are a major tourist attraction. Amsterdam spokeswoman Iris Reshef said the ...
Dutch "coffee shop" debate: will closing only shift drug traffic? AFP
Topic: Amsterdam closing 20% of coffee shops (Read 34 times) The Daily Kenoshan
Some Dutch cannabis "coffee shops" to go up in smoke Reuters India
United Press International - Radio Netherlands
all 220 news articles


Chicago Tribune

Obama happy as a 9-to-5 temp
Los Angeles Times, CA - 6 hours ago
On Friday, he made time to leave the office briefly to pick up a corned beef sandwich and some cherry pie from Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli, a favorite spot ...
Video: Raw Video: Obama Grabs Lunch at Chicago Landmark AssociatedPress
At Manny's Deli in Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama is served ... Chicago Tribune
Obama grabs lunch at local deli, greets patrons The Associated Press
ABC News - CNET News
all 150 news articles


WHDH-TV

Dog hits controls, drives van into coffee house
The Associated Press - Nov 20, 2008
JAMES, NY (AP) — A dog left inside a running van put the vehicle in drive, causing it to crash into a Long Island coffee house. Suffolk County police said ...
Dog rolls van through St. James coffee shop window Newsday
Dog Crashes Van Into Coffee House NPR
Dog Drives Van into Coffee Shop KTLA
AOL News Newsbloggers - myfoxny.com
all 115 news articles


Research and Markets: Snapshots US Ground Coffee 2008 Gives An ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 23 hours ago
Snapdata's Snapshots US Ground Coffee 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. ...


Coffee Names Randy Swanson to Senate GOP Communications Post
OK.gov, Ok - 22 hours ago
Oklahoma State Senate President Pro Tempore Designate Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, announced Friday that Randy Swanson of Yukon will join Coffee's Senate ...
Oklahoma GOP senators name spokesman NewsOK.com
News Minute: Here is the latest Oklahoma news from The Associated ... KFOR
all 14 news articles


River Maiden Coffee making a return to downtown Vancouver core
The Columbian, WA - 17 hours ago
River Maiden owner Melissa Layman expects to open a branch of River Maiden Coffee at 701 Main St. in downtown Vancouver by February or March. ...
Merchants hail Main Street changes The Columbian
all 2 news articles


Boston Globe

Dunkin' Donuts opens first shop in mainland China
BusinessWeek - 19 hours ago
based seller of coffee and baked goods said in a news release Friday it opened the shop in Shanghai on Thursday. The shop is on Fuzhou Road, ...
In 2d crack at China market, Dunkin' Donuts alters recipe Boston Globe
Dunkin' Donuts Opens First Shop in Mainland China SYS-CON Brasil
Dunkin' Donuts hopes to find success in China QSR Web
Boston Globe
all 22 news articles


ABC News

Britney Spears Attracts A Coffee Crowd
Just Jared, NY - Nov 21, 2008
Britney Spears is surrounded by fans and photographers as she goes out to get some coffee at Starbucks in Encino, Calif. on Thursday. ...
Britney Spears Misses the Excitement The Gossip Girls
all 741 news articles


Research and Markets: Vietnam Food and Drink Report Q4 2008 ...
MarketWatch - 23 hours ago
Meanwhile, Vietnam is looking to invest in its soluble coffee industry. Over the next two years, over US$80mn will be invested in the construction of three ...


Examiner.com

Fresh coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde
Examiner.com - 3 hours ago
It's an outside dining experience; the menu consisting of mostly coffee-like drinks, milk and juice, and the world famous beignets. ...

Coffee - Google News

home | site map
© 2008