Guest post by Sarah Harris, Marketing Manager of Adiamor

Everyone looks forward to waking up in the morning to enjoy a cup of coffee. Or perhaps take that much needed break away from the desk and sip on a hot cup of Joe before heading back to work. Coffee is a soothing treat after a big meal out with friends. Coffee, whether it’s decaf or regular, is enjoyed all over the world.

Coffee is so prevalent in most countries that it would be difficult not to find a Starbucks on the corner or Folgers Instant in a market wherever you are. While not many people actually make coffee, most tend to know that it comes from another country and contains lots of caffeine. But coffee is a very interesting commodity, with a lot of facts that most consumers are
unaware of.

Here are 5 interesting things you probably didn’t know about coffee:

1. Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world. Apart from water, coffee is the most sought after beverage and has been consumed in some form for over 1,000 years.
2. Coffee is grown all over the world. Coffee is grown in over 50 countries, but the one place it’s not grown is on the mainland of the United States. This is due to the climate and growing conditions being unsuitable. Hawaii is the only state in the country that can and does produce coffee.
3. Coffee is one of the most heavily traded commodities in the world. Coffee comes second only to oil as the most traded commodity. The reason coffee is so much cheaper is that it can be regenerated over and over again, whereas oil is a precious resource.
4. Coffee beans are not really beans. Botanically speaking, coffee beans are actually berries. They grow on trees that take about five years to reach maturity.
5. Coffee only affects the body up to a certain point. The coffee fans out there who think having 10 cups a day is what keeps you going is not true. After a certain number of cups have been drunk, typically four depending on the individual, consuming more will provide no further stimulation. Have your four and call it a day.

Sarah Harris is the Marketing Manager for Adiamor, a diamond jewelry website. Adiamor offers a large selection of engagement rings, loose diamonds, and other fine diamond jewelry at affordable prices.

Café lattes are a popular espresso drink and if it’s a favorite of yours, there is a way to recreate it at home without spending about $5 a pop at your local coffee house. There is no need for the fancy espresso equipment although having it would likely pay off within a few months if you are an avid latte drinker (even Wal-Mart sells inexpensive espresso makers, which is far better than the value process described below).

With just a few ingredients and equipment you already have in your kitchen, you could create a café latte that closely resembles what you’ve been purchasing for years. Once you are comfortable with the process, then you can experiment with flavored syrups, chocolate, spices like cinnamon and more.

Ingredients

Of course the first ingredient is strong coffee which is basically what espresso tastes like. You will want to put double or even triple the coffee grounds you normally use when you brew coffee. Just make enough so that you have plenty to experiment with and also share!

Milk is another requisite ingredient for your café latte. Choose the milk that you have a taste preference for whether it is whole milk, 2% milk, skim milk or even soy. You will also need some sugar as well as an electric whisker or hand mixer.

The Process

Brew several cups of coffee. Remember to make it double to triple the strength, depending on your taste preference. For a more authentic taste, choose a really dark roast coffee for the brewing process.

Next you need to heat your milk almost to, but not at, the point of boiling. You don’t want a scorched taste. You can place a microwave-proof bowl of milk in the microwave or heat up the milk in a pot on the stove. The stovetop version is better as you can observe the milk and remove it from the heat source before the boiling point.

Once brewed, put six to eight ounces of the extra strength coffee in your favorite coffee cup. Add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the heated milk mixture and then use the electric whisker to beat the milk. The more you whip the milk, the more foam it will produce.

Next, pour the heated milk into the cup of coffee, using a spoon to hold back the foam, until the cup is about 75-80% full. Gently stir your milk and strong coffee together to blend and then ladle some of the milk foam on top. Voila – now you have a cup of café latte!

Experimenting

Your first few attempts at café latte will likely taste different from the coffee house versions. Therefore, you will want to experiment with both the strength of the coffee you brew as well as the type of milk you use. In addition, investing in a small coffee grinder may provide additional authenticity to your latte as freshly ground gourmet coffee beans will add a dimension of taste you would not get otherwise.

You can test different flavor syrups such as vanilla, caramel or hazelnut to add another tasty element to your home grown latte. Choosing coffee beans spiked with different flavors like chocolate, cinnamon or one of the many gourmet tastes like Irish cream can also add another dimension of taste too. Let your adventurous taste buds be your guide on this coffee journey to latte land.

Italy is the birthplace of biscotti and it was originally created as accompaniment to wine drinking parties. This hard cookie made its way through Europe and even to sailors heading to the New World hundreds of years ago. Biscotti was chosen for sea voyages not only to provide something sweet for the sailors to eat but also because of the fact that its dry consistency prohibited the proliferation of mold and other germs that make people sick.

How It’s Made

A thick cookie dough is made using all-purpose flour, eggs and sugar along with other ingredients like baking soda or baking powder, flavored extracts and even add-in ingredients like chocolate chips or almonds and other nuts. Once the dough is prepared, it should be kneaded for a small amount of time on a floured work area as this will help with cohesion of the dough.

Typically you will make one long log from the dough and bake it on a long cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for baking. After using your hands to slightly flatten the cookie dough, you will want to bake it up to thirty minutes. You will know when these cookies are ready by its larger size after rising. Pull from the oven once it turns brown and just firm to the touch.

If you want the traditionally long-shaped biscotti bars with rounded ends, allow the cookie log to cool slightly before cutting to shape. Once the cookies are cut, you then have to put them back in the oven for a drying out period. The result is a lightly sweetened crunchy cookie.

Variations of the Biscotti Theme

Hundreds of years ago, biscotti was almond flavored due to the large supply of almonds available in the area. Anise was a favorite spice of the time and used often as well. Today, you will find biscotti in countless flavors and variations. Chocolate is a popular flavor for the dough and even chocolate-dipped biscotti is an option. You may find biscotti with dried fruits, nuts, candy bits and anything else that is tasty.

People enjoy biscotti because it is a light yet tasty accompaniment to a hot cup of tea or coffee. It is often dipped into the beverage to soften it up before consuming. Many people say that the flavored is enhanced when you become an official biscotti dipper. If you are in Italy, you may notice that biscotti are consumed with wine more often than coffee. These cookies are also easy to store in airtight containers. Because of this, the cookie has been a favorite of coffee houses because they can last indefinitely without spoiling.

The early 1990′s brought on a boon in the coffee industry with many coffee house chains popping up all over the place. While “regular” brewed coffee can be found in these places, the real draw is the multitude of espresso-based drinks that can be tailor-made just for your taste buds.

With the big, gleaming stainless steel machines, espresso can easily be produced using pressurized steam pushed through tightly packed coffee grounds. The result tastes like really robust concentrated coffee. While some people have a taste for espresso straight up, many prefer one of the various coffee drinks made from it.

Cappuccinos

Cappuccinos are one of the most popular espresso drinks in the world and while certain countries may have slightly different variations, the basic principle in its creation is the same. A cappuccino consists of equal parts espresso, steamed milk and milk foam, the result you get from rapidly steaming milk. The milk foam is skimmed off the top of the steamed milk.

Café Latte

Another espresso staple, café lattes are created with one-third espresso and two parts steamed milk with a layer of milk foam spooned on the top. A café latte is very similar to France’s café au lait or the café de leche in parts of Mexico.

Café Mocha

There is some dissention about what really constitutes a café mocha. However, the basic recipe calls for one part espresso and two parts steamed milk with enough chocolate syrup added for taste. The entire concoction is topped with luscious whipped cream. You may even encounter a dusting of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings garnishing the top.

Americano

Originally named to mock Americans who couldn’t tolerate full strength espresso, the Americano is one part espresso and two parts hot water. The hot water dilutes the strength but not the taste of this coffee drink.

Café Breve

The café breve follows the same formula as the café latte except the breve uses half and half instead of regular milk. The two parts steamed half and half to the one part espresso makes for a richer, smoother coffee drink.

Espresso con Panna

Perhaps one of the most uncomplicated espresso drinks, this coffee variation is an espresso with a layer or dollop of whipped cream. Occasionally, the whipped cream may be slightly sweetened before gracing the top of the espresso.

Espresso Macchiato

This is another coffee drink that is slightly misunderstood and made differently in various parts of the world. The majority of coffee connoisseurs agree that espresso macchiato is a shot of espresso with a layer of milk foam on the top.

Going Beyond Espresso

There are more variations of espresso coffee drinks than you can imagine. Have you ever heard of coffee flavor shots? These are concentrated syrups which come in a variety of favorite flavours like vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, peppermint, cinnamon, toasted marshmallow and more. Many people prefer adding a flavour shot to their coffee as opposed to brewing a pre-flavoured coffee as they can control the intensity of the taste by adding more or less of the shot.

Other ingredients can be added to your espresso drinks to punch up the flavor a bit. If you choose an espresso drink with milk foam or whipped topping, you could add a dusting of cinnamon for a slightly spicy “bite” to your drink. Chocolate garnishes are always a hit plus they create a wonderful presentation of your coffee drink.

Taking into account the different types of espresso drinks in addition to garnishes and flavor shots, you literally have thousands of combinations to choose from! You could ask for a caramel espresso macchiato or even a vanilla café latte. Let your taste buds be your guide and experiment with your coffee.

Picture thousands of farmers and labourers toiling away for hours each day doing back-breaking work tending acres and acres of coffee plants, picking ripe coffee beans. They are working hard for an honest wage, and then come the middlemen for the coffee industry offering to purchase their coffee at a loss. This move pads their own cut before selling to big companies while the people who provide the physical labour get stiffed.

Fair Trade Coffee is a new socially conscious program which links the coffee grower and the consumer in a more direct and significant way. Basically, a lot of the middlemen are bypassed so that the coffee grower reaps more direct benefits from his crop.

Looking Further into Fair Trade Coffee

Coffee is one of the most popular products in the world and is in fact important to the global market, yet the coffee growers and their workers often make very little money. The middlemen who buy the crop from farmers and then re-sell it often dictate the price, by-passing the workers in favour of higher profits for themselves. Many farmers sell their coffee crop at a loss and end up living in poverty.

With Fair Trade Coffee, farmers are ensured a fair price for their coffee. The Fair Trade Coffee program guarantees the farmers participating in the global fair trade organizations a decent minimum price per pound of coffee regardless of whether or not the market dips lower than that minimum. Of course, if the market is doing well, the price per pound rises, meaning more money for them.

The guaranteed minimum price is a godsend for many of these farmers and field workers who spend countless backbreaking hours just so that citizens around the world can indulge in their daily coffee habit. The fair prices these people reap for their crop allows them to lift themselves out of poverty and invest in healthcare, schooling and even gain financial independence. This positive social movement is a much needed investment in the global community.

Fair Trade Coffee Positive Trends

The social conscience of citizens around the world is slowly awakening and one of the first positive movements has been the idea of fair trade. And because coffee is second only to oil in top commodities around the world, many people looked to why the farmers are living in poverty, given the popularity of the product.

The unfair prices middlemen paid to these farmers is a thing of the past for those who joined up with Fair Trade Coffee cooperatives around the world. Now there is an entity that is ensuring that a fair price is paid to these hard working farmers and labourers in the coffee industry.

More and more licensing agreements all over the world are being signed as companies are recognizing the need to appear more socially conscious. As the United States consumes 20% of the world coffee alone, there has been a huge boon in participation in Fair Trade Coffee.

This group is an environmental movement as well. Fair trade helps the smaller farmers play in the coffee big leagues and still be competitive. That means they are able to plow some profits into upgrades as well as pesticides and chemicals to keep their coffee plants infestation free. In addition, they can experiment with organically grown coffee and invest in more gourmet coffee plants, keeping their competitive edge in a volatile market.

It is a win-win situation for all those involved in Fair Trade Coffee. If you wish to play a part in this socially conscious movement, you will have to look for stores, websites and catalogs that sell Fair Trade Coffee. The products produced under this practice will be clearly marked for easy identification. So each time you brew a pot of coffee, you are contributing to the improved quality of life of these cooperative coffee growers and workers.

The coffee drink espresso packs quite a punch to the taste buds because of its strength but did you know that a serving actually has less caffeine than a normal drip cup of coffee? There is a belief that special coffee beans are used to create espresso but that is not entirely accurate. Espresso is all about how you make it.

Cool Beans

While there is no special type of coffee bean needed in the preparation of espresso, you will discover that the taste can be different based on the type of bean, how it is roasted and where it came from. Arabica beans are the most popular since approximately 70% of the world’s coffee production comes from them. Therefore, it is the place where they were exported as well the roast that creates most of the nuances of flavour.

Several countries in Europe and Asia prefer the darkest roast for their espresso while Americans prefer medium to light roasts. True coffee connoisseurs look to Hawaii and Jamaica for the richest, complicated flavors. As espresso was created in Italy in the early 20th century, it took quite a few years before it caught on in the United States. Even then, many people do not like it straight up but rather blended into other drinks like lattes, mochas and cappuccinos.

How It’s Made

To understand how espresso is made, you have to understand that the basics in coffee-making itself are based on running very hot water over ground coffee beans to produce an aromatic brew. With percolators, drip coffee makers or even a French press, the result is a cup of regular coffee. Coarsely to finely ground coffee beans are the predominant types put into one of these machines.

Espresso requires ground coffee beans that are the consistency of powder with no discernible form indicating a gritty texture. To create that little cup of kicks to the taste buds requires a certain process. Basically, to make espresso, you must force a little quantity of steaming hot water through a compactly packed amount of powdery fine coffee grounds.

The result of this process is a shot of espresso coffee which has a slightly thicker consistency than regularly brewed coffee. It is usually a dark, reddish color and produces tan foam called the crema. Steam pressure is used to create this dark drink and the spring lever pistol action machine was the first of its kind to do so. While it was a manual type, new models of coffee machines incorporate the steaming feature.

When making an espresso, both the type of grounds used as well as how it is tightly packed is part of the process. The more tightly packed coffee grounds you can fit in the coffee bean receptacle the stronger your drink will be. The pressure of the steamed water as well as its temperature also plays a part in making this strong drink. There are a variety of machines with features that allow for espresso making, even one for the stove top. So if you are craving a strong espresso, head to your nearest coffeehouse or even purchase an espresso machine for your own home now that they are more affordable.

Coffee, or rather the fruit and leaves of the coffee plant, were first consumed for the energetic high, which we now know is the result of caffeine. Today, we are a bit more refined than that! Coffee is one of the most prized commodities around the world, some believe only second to oil. As such, learning more about how it is grown and harvested is the only fitting way to pay homage to this aromatic brew.

Optimal Coffee Plant Climate

Arabica coffee beans are the most plentiful beans cultivated and shipped all around the world and there are two climate types in which they thrive. Subtropical areas with high altitudes between 1,800 to 3,800 feet are optimal as long as the dry and rainy seasons are clearly defined. The delineation of seasons allows for a distinct coffee bean growing season and a season specifically for the maturing period. Zimbabwe, parts of Mexico, Jamaica and the Sao Paulo region of Brazil are examples of this first type of optimal climate.

There are regions along the equator with altitudes of 3,600 to 6,400 feet and less than 10˚ latitude and almost daily rainfall. The frequency of rain allows for virtually constant flowering which creates two harvesting times. During the period with the most rainfall is one harvest while the ebbing rainfall period is the second harvest. Due to the large amount of rain, harvested coffee beans cannot be dried naturally and must be done via artificial means. Ethiopia and Colombia are two examples of this climate.

Robusta coffee beans account for a smaller percentage of the world market and is typically grown at lower altitudes from sea level up to about 3,200 feet. A 10˚range north and south of the equator is the typical growing area for Robusta as they are more forgiving of warmer conditions.

Planting Pointers

Planters have the most success in propagating a new coffee plant when starting from seed. The red, cherry-like exterior of the coffee bean is removed and often used for other things and usually fermented. What is left is the seed part that can either be planted fresh or the seed can be stored indefinitely until planting time.

Seeds are often planted in coffee nurseries in optimal growing conditions so that they will germinate. The wet seasons are the time when the seeds are planted in raised beds with specific pH-balanced soils for proper drainage and nutrition. Tiny seedlings will start to emerge within weeks. Typically the coffee nurseries offer protection from too much sun until such time as they are ready for transplanting to the coffee plantation.

It may take up to a year and a half before these coffee plant seedlings are large enough (about two feet high) to be transplanted. During this time the growers will slowly expose the tiny plants to more sunlight so they will not be thrown into shock during the transplant process.

Cultivation of the Coffee Beans

It could take up to four years before these coffee plants produce fruit, namely the red cherry appearance they get when ripe for picking. In many countries, the coffee plants are located in areas where machinery could be dangerous to operate due to the terrain. Therefore, most coffee bean picking is done by hand. It is labour-intensive and hard, but often necessary.

Typically, these coffee cherries are either picked all at one time or picked selectively. In areas where there is only one harvest season or the coffee bean is not one of the premiere varieties, the whole crop of coffee bean cherries are picked for processing.

The selective process is usually reserved for higher grade coffee beans or in areas where there are two harvesting seasons. Only the bright red coffee cherries are picked, leaving the green ones on the plant to mature. The harvesters will rotate the job every 7 to 10 days to check for maturing cherries that could be picked.

There are two processes used in harvesting and processing the picked coffee bean cherries – the wet and dry method. In areas where water is scarce or not readily available, the coffee beans are spread out to dry in the sun. These beans are rotated throughout the day for even drying time and to prevent spoilage. This process may take several weeks.

With the wet method, the coffee cherries are processed in a pulping machine which removes the outer material surrounding the actual bean and the pulp is rinsed away. The pulp is often recycled into organic compost. What is left after pulping is the bean covered in a parchment-like husk which is then run through various water treatments in which the less than ripe beans float and are removed leaving the ripe ones which sink. A fermentation process is performed on the beans to remove the slimy layer over the husk and then rinsed to prepare for the drying process.

Once the beans have been dried, they are ready for shipment around the world. Many companies which produce coffee and coffee products for consumers purchase the whole beans the roast them in different varieties and even grind them before packaging for placement on grocery shelves. From there, you just make your preferred selection, brew and enjoy!

Did you know that you could technically grow your own coffee? Of course, you would need the right conditions plus you would have to grow a heck of a lot of plants to get enough beans to keep in your coffee year round. Why bother when you can head to your nearest coffeehouse or supermarket? The process of how coffee plants are grown by seed to how your make a tasty brew is quite interesting.

The Planting Process

In order to start coffee plants from seed, the red cherries from the coffee plant must be picked, and then manipulated into pulp with something called the mucilage taken out for fermentation. The seeds aka coffee beans can be planted while they are still fresh or may be dried to be planted at a later time.

While it is possible to propagate a coffee plant from cutting a shoot from an existing plant, most growers prefer starting from seed. Seeds are often planted in temporary beds which are kept weed free and moist. After about two months, once leaves develop, they are transplanted into raised beds or containers in a nursery type of environment to allow for optimal drainage. Once these seedlings reach approximately two feet in height, they are transplanted to the coffee plantation land.

Growing Conditions and Harvesting Process

Coffee plants need moderate climates with plenty of moisture, good drainage and moderate sunlight. Most areas in the world which grow coffee plants fall within what is known as the coffee bean belt, an area between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. The temperatures hold steady at approximately 70˚F or 20˚C which is perfect for optimal growth.

Harvest season for coffee beans typically occurs during the driest season and may be done by hand or by machine. When done by hand, coffee bean pickers can be selective and choose only the bright red beans called cherries. These are ripe and ready for processing. When done by machine, the entire plant is stripped of beans whether they are still green (unripe) or red.

The hand-picked method allows the unripe beans more time on the plant to mature. As the harvesting season could last for several months, this gives them time for ripening as necessary. Once beans are picked, they are sorted through using both hand and machinery to remove the husks and parchment layers. The flawed beans are then removed and remaining beans are graded according to size. From there, the coffee beans are bagged, graded and marked with the country and plantation name then shipped worldwide.

Selling and Shipping

After the bagging process, these coffee beans are stored in covered, well-ventilated warehouses where they await shipment. The coffee is then transported via ship or even an airplane to its intended destination. Stevedores, experienced products handlers, are in charge of loading the ship or plane to ensure that the coffee bags are properly layers and stored to allow for circulation.

Large companies that sell ground coffee and coffee beans for personal grinding usually buy the “raw” product from the coffee growers. These companies roast these beans in large computerized machines that can create a variety of roasts from light to medium to dark.

Next, these companies then either package the roasted beans whole for sale to the public or they grind the beans before packaging them up to sell. There are several different types of coffee grinds which are formulated for a variety of different types of machines and brewing methods. For example, a drip grind coffee is granulated and great for automatic drip coffee makers will a finely ground, almost powdery coffee is perfect for espresso machines.

What You Put in your Coffee Cup

Coffee lovers who are fanatic about their cuppa joe will often choose their coffee based on where it is grown as well as the aroma of the coffee beans and the type of roast. There are light smelling ones which produce a smooth tasting coffee while the more pungent ones will produce a more full-bodied stronger taste.

Coffee is definitely a beverage which is highly personalized. And due to the explosion of coffee houses all over the world, you have plenty of choices beyond the regular brewed cup of coffee. Espresso, lattes, café au lait and mochas are just a few options. Add the possibility of flavored syrups and other spices and the combinations are endless!

Looking at a map of the world, if you highlight all of the major coffee producing countries, you will notice that the majority of them lie within the confines of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. These two imaginary dividing lines lie apart with the equator in between with this entire stretch often called the coffee bean belt.

The growing areas within this coffee bean belt have steady moderate temperatures of around 20˚C or 70˚F. The soil is porous and rich in nutrients and adding the steady supply of rain and sunshine, you have the perfect conditions for the coffee plants. This coffee plant is often the economic rock in many areas and is almost as revered as oil. For the most part, Arabica coffee beans are the most harvested with about 65-70% of the exportation with Robusta beans accounting for the rest.

Brazil – A Coffee Powerhouse

Brazil got a later start in coffee production, several centuries after its discovery in Ethiopia. However, they have more than made up for lost time becoming the largest exporter of coffee in the world. Based on numbers of bags, they produce around 25 million a year, about 1/3 of the world’s coffee supply. Frost is the largest danger to the coffee beans cultivated here, especially the most notable varieties like the Bahia and Bourbon Santos.

Colombia – Home of Juan Valdez

With Pacific and Atlantic connections, Colombia has a leg up on other countries in its exportation of coffee. Coming in second in world production and growth, Colombia estimates approximately 12 million bags of coffee each year. The coffee plants here love the temperate climate of the Andes foothills but bacteria is of concern here so growers are particularly cautious in the treatment of their plants. Some of the best beans in the world like the Supremo and Medellin are found here.

Indonesia – One of the Earliest Coffee Established Areas

The Dutch introduced coffee to the Indonesia area, particularly the island of Java as well as Sumatra and Sulawesi. Indonesia has the highest concentration of Robusta beans in the world and the Java and Sumatra varieties are among the most desired as well. At almost 10 million bags a year, they are one of the top exporters of coffee beans in the world.

Mexico – The United States Largest Coffee Supplier

The coffee plant was introduced in Mexico in the 18th century and is now the largest U.S. supplier of coffee beans. The country produces about 6-8 million bags of beans a year, with most of them being Arabica beans cultivated in the most southern regions. The Altura and Coixtepec are two of the tastiest and desired coffee beans from the country.

Vietnam – A Surprising Producer

Vietnam produces between 5-8 million bags of coffee each year making the country one of the largest suppliers in the world. It is only in the past two or three decades that coffee growing has really taken off which accounts for the reason why some people do not realize Vietnam produces some tasty coffee, mostly Robusta.

Ethiopia – The Original Coffee Producer

The African country of Ethiopia still hangs in there with the coffee giants to produce some of the world’s tastiest coffees. They are known for the Sidamo and Harrar coffee beans and export quite a bit of Arabica as well, up to 4 or 5 million bags a year.

Other Regions of the World

India is close behind Ethiopia in coffee production and produces some strong, flavorful beans like the Malabar and Mysore. Cote d’Ivoire and Guatemala are neck and neck in coffee growth and production. The volcanic soil in Guatemala is the reason why their coffee beans like the Atitlan are in demand. Cote d’Ivoire mainly produces Robusta beans.

A number of other countries within this coffee bean belt also produce coffee, only in smaller quantities, mainly due to lack of investment or lack of land. However, each area is unique and produces a coffee bean that is unique. Coffee connoisseurs often can identify areas of the world where their coffee beans came from, solely by taste.

The Buzz on the Origins of that Aromatic Beverage Called Coffee

Leave it to a goat, known for eating virtually anything known to man, to find what many of us today call brown gold. It was around the year 850 and an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi discovered his goats were prancing happily after consuming some bright red berries on bushes growing naturally in the area. This little story is sometimes viewed as a legend but coffee did get its start in the African country of Ethiopia.

The Spread of Coffee

The Ethiopians kept this hyped up coffee plant to themselves for a while but eventually it made its way north to Sudan and the Arabian Peninsula. The Arab world was spreading its trade in the area and the coffee plants started being cultivated there. Mocha was a famous trade port of its day around the year 1000 and the Arabs kept coffee to themselves by not allowing the exportation of fertile coffee beans, which were actually the seeds of the coffee plant which could potentially be cultivated elsewhere.

Constantinople, what is now Istanbul, was the first place to open up a coffee house in the late 1400′s. It wasn’t until the early 600′s that some fertile beans were smuggled into Italy and the taste of coffee became sought after. The Dutch also smuggled out some plants too and eventually established a coffee growing colony on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia.

Coffee was no longer a horded secret – it found its way around the world. The 1800′s brought a lot of exploration across the Atlantic Ocean and other bodies of water where the coffee plants made their way to the Americas, namely established colonies in Brazil. From there, the coffee plants really took off and the aromatic beverage soon became a drink for the common people rather than the elite.

The Popularity of Coffee

Coffee was originally popular because the leaves of the plant and the berries were chewed for its stimulant properties. Eventually, some enterprising soul in 1000 AD Arabia started roasting the berries into what we know today as coffee beans and then brewing it with water. Coffee became very popular early in history because of its stimulant properties as well as its unique smell and taste. The exclusivity in which the Arabs horded it made it all the more popular and sought after.

Today, there are several species of coffee grown around the world with the Arabica and Robusta coffee beans being the most prevalent. Brazil is by far the largest exporter of coffee today with other Latin American countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Guatemala not far behind. Indonesia and parts of Africa also do a fair trade in coffee.

Europe was the first area to truly embrace coffee, perfecting the art of different types of roasted coffee beans. From there, the roasting evolved according to individual tastes. The darkest of roasted coffees are popular in Europe and Asia and are known as Italian or espresso roasts. Light weight coffee drinkers prefer the lightly roasted coffee beans to create their aromatic brews. There is also medium and dark roasted coffees.

The area of the world where the coffee plants are grown can also make a big difference as well due to the various conditions of the soil and climate. The most desired and therefore the most expensive coffee in the world is grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica where land is rich but limited, which accounts for its exclusivity. Hawaii, the only area of the United States to grow the coffee plant, also produces a rich brew as well.

Today, coffee is found prepared in a variety of ways from espresso to mocha lattes and judged similarly to wine. The area in which the coffee beans are cultivated makes a huge difference in the taste, just as with wine. The aroma and color also play a part in discerning which coffees are the finest in the world. Ultimately though, it is your taste buds that guide you to the best coffee for you.