For such a plain and simple plant, it is odd to think that it has had such an impact on our daily lives. The coffee bean is what is contained inside the coffee berry. The two most common coffee plants are the Coffea canephora and Coffea arrabica. Coffee is grown in three main agricultural areas South America, South East Asia and Africa. Although the coffee plant is very robust and can be grown in very much any climate, these agricultural areas seem to yield a plant with just that little bit extra. This has resulted in coffee exports being one of the major contributors to these regions economies and is today one of the largest exports in the world.



The coffee bean was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia in the 9th century. After spreading to Northern Africa, it took its time to travel into the Middle East but that is where the legend of the coffee bean exploded. Coffee started to be farmed for a greater purpose, and the industry thrived. By the 15th century, coffee was a staple addition to every household from peasants to emperors. The Persian Empire carried the coffee bean westwards into Europe, and then spread further to the New World.

Today, coffee is mostly consumed in the mornings, but this does not stop coffee lovers throughout the world drinking coffee throughout the day and even after the evening meal. Coffee is generally seen as a stimulant and has become the benchmark in reenergizing both body and mind.

More recently, coffee has been expanded into more contemporary drinks. These include an assortment of flavoured ice coffees, freezochinos and many others. These are most commonly consumed in the more elite areas such as Hollywood, London and Clifton.

Coffee is made by picking the ripe berries and then drying them. A coffee's flavour and strength is determined by several factors. These factors include the region they are grown in and the amount of time the coffee beans are roasted for. Some coffee drinkers prefer a milder taste, and will drink their coffee with milk and sugar. Other coffee drinkers prefer their coffee rich, strong and black as seen by those who love their Turkish coffee.

The kind of coffee you drink says a lot about you as a person. There is no absolute wrong way to enjoy coffee, nor is there a right or wrong time to drink it. To a coffee lover, any time of the day is a good time to drink coffee. Coffee has changed the way the world functions. Many people cannot start their day without their 'cupp' and this trend is only growing.