There are several legends and stories about the beginning of coffee, but the only certainty is that the Rubiaceae plant originated in Ethiopia and its proliferation had a strong contribution from the Arabs and European countries. 

Although the plant has African origin, it was in Yemen, western Arabia, that it began to be cultivated and where the plant was known as «Kaweh» and the drink called «Kahwah» or «Cahue», which means Strength.

The commercial cultivation of coffee began to be carried out early, although the first reports only appear in the 15th century. And the first coffee houses were opened in Mecca. And in the 16th century, the first establishments where the coffee drink was served appeared: the famous cafeterias of Constantinople.

The grain ends up arriving in Europe through Venice in 1615, where the first establishment with coffee in Europe is opened. And in 1652 he opened the first coffee shop in the UK, in Oxford. And the Arabic word for coffee «qahwa» became the Dutch «koffie» and then the English «coffee».

In the 18th century, European powers such as Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, France and Holland began to cultivate coffee in their colonies due to the climate and thus, Brazil, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola, Mozambique became the main countries coffee producers in the world.

In 1901, Italian Luigi Bezzera created the world's first espresso machine. And in Portugal, it is precisely the espresso that is preferred by the Portuguese. In our country, the first public cafes appeared in the 18th century, inspired by French cafes, seen as spaces for cultural and artistic entertainment.

In 1963, the International Coffee Organization (ICO) was created, based in London, which is responsible for defining coffee quotas for producing and importing countries.

Coffee belongs to the Rubiaceae botanical family, which has about 500 genera and more than 6,000 species. Economically, the two most important species are Coffea arabica (arabica coffee) and Coffea canephora (robusta coffee).

Coffea arabica (arabica coffee) 

The plant that gives rise to this variety of grain comes from the mountains of Ethiopia. Arabica beans are medium in size, with a pleasant, fruity aroma and their acidity varies depending on the altitude. Arabica coffee has 50% less caffeine but has a higher sugar content, responsible for the complexity of flavors of this variety. The main producers of this grain are Brazil, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala.

Coffea canephora (Robusta coffee)

Coffee selected with this type of bean has a higher caffeine concentration and has a more bitter taste. The grains have a flavor that can be reminiscent of caramel associated with a sour taste. The Coffea canephora plant is cultivated in several countries, such as Angola, Uganda, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, India and Vietnam.  

Now that you know a little more about the history of coffee, what is your favorite coffee?

Sources:

https://www.deltacafes.pt/pt/o-cafe/origens

https://www.ico.org/