The exact history of coffee is anybody's guess. No one knows for sure how it originated, but it was discovered in Ethiopia by European explorers.
Ethiopians started eating raw coffee after they noticed how grazing goats would get a buzz from eating them. They eventually found that if they smashed these little berries and mixed them with animal fat, a pasty little coffee pellet could be formed.
The Ethiopians discovered this mixture provided an incredible energy source and became a staple in their diet. This new found energy boost became especially popular in wartime when it gave their fighters some extra stamina. These particular cherries would have also been eaten whole and uncooked, and the pulp was known for its sweetness in addition to the caffeine.
There is also proof that these berries were used in the processing and manufacturing of wine. In addition, coffee was used as a food in Arabia, a region just the north and east of Ethiopia. They didn't use coffee to drink until much later however.
Early records reveal that the process of making coffee into a drinkable substance involved softening the hulls of coffee beans. After considerable soaking in cold water, the beans were roasted over an open fire and then boiled. Drinking the finished product, which looked like a yellowish liquid would give a energy boost.
By the end of the first millennium coffee was still pretty basic and the process of making the drink were very rudimentary.
During the 1400's, coffee changed forever. While looking for new ways to store coffee, researchers experimented with sun drying the beans.
After that, they learned how to roast and smash them up into small granules and then mix with hot water. That is how brown and flavorful coffee was born. Now, in the 21st century, the same techniques make coffee what it is today. Not only that, but it is the most popular drink in the world, and its value as a trading commodity is second only to oil. What a long way away we are from eating slimy coffee balls.
Ethiopians started eating raw coffee after they noticed how grazing goats would get a buzz from eating them. They eventually found that if they smashed these little berries and mixed them with animal fat, a pasty little coffee pellet could be formed.
The Ethiopians discovered this mixture provided an incredible energy source and became a staple in their diet. This new found energy boost became especially popular in wartime when it gave their fighters some extra stamina. These particular cherries would have also been eaten whole and uncooked, and the pulp was known for its sweetness in addition to the caffeine.
There is also proof that these berries were used in the processing and manufacturing of wine. In addition, coffee was used as a food in Arabia, a region just the north and east of Ethiopia. They didn't use coffee to drink until much later however.
Early records reveal that the process of making coffee into a drinkable substance involved softening the hulls of coffee beans. After considerable soaking in cold water, the beans were roasted over an open fire and then boiled. Drinking the finished product, which looked like a yellowish liquid would give a energy boost.
By the end of the first millennium coffee was still pretty basic and the process of making the drink were very rudimentary.
During the 1400's, coffee changed forever. While looking for new ways to store coffee, researchers experimented with sun drying the beans.
After that, they learned how to roast and smash them up into small granules and then mix with hot water. That is how brown and flavorful coffee was born. Now, in the 21st century, the same techniques make coffee what it is today. Not only that, but it is the most popular drink in the world, and its value as a trading commodity is second only to oil. What a long way away we are from eating slimy coffee balls.
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