Coffee is an integral part of my family. We've had disputes, and discussions settled over coffee. Sometimes we have bargains and agreements done over coffee. In fact coffee has given our family time to slow down and simply catch up.
With coffee so ever famous, it's no wonder that it's become a business life blood. Some companies even charge up to $5 for a cup, and yet people are still buying. All the benefits, all the wonder and taste but we have never really asked about the coffee bean to whom we have much to thank for.
Coffee Beans through the Years
A lot of people consider coffee a friend, and a shoulder to lean on. The coffee bean has many secrets which we as firm patrons of its fruits have yet to explore. It's come a long way from its humble origins; the coffee bean has had many travels. Did you know that the lowly coffee bean was first venerated for its curative properties? The bean is also brewed for religious meditation purposes. Coffee comes from berry producing trees found in the Middle East. The berry itself looks a lot like a very small cherry, red and enticing. The berries are edible, they are very sweet. Each berry contains two locules, enclosed inside are the beans which is the cash crop. The coffee tree cannot tolerate frost or extremely cold weather that is why it is generally found on regions where there is ample sun and rain.
The coffee tree used to be a source for a tisane, where in the fruits, flowers and leaves where boiled in water, kind of like tea. It was the Arabs, who innovated upon the idea of making drinking coffee by roasting the dried coffee bean.
The Coffee Bean Travels
The story is that a Moslem stole some coffee beans from a farm in Arabia and brought them to his home in India. There he planted the coffee bean one by one and made it flourish, supplying one-third of India's coffee produce.
From Arabia to India, word spread of the deliciously enchanting and aromatic coffee. Soon the French and the Dutch became enamored of the coffee bean as well. In their desire to produce the bewitching brew; the French brought coffee to Dijon (a region in France) unfortunately the coffee tree is not adept to cold weather, so the whole crop was wasted. The Dutch however was a lot cleverer. They planted the coffee seeds in Java where it thrived and became a reliable crop.
Even the famed King Louie XIV, who is captivated by coffee had a tree shipped to Paris, and built a Greenhouse especially for the Noble Tree. That same coffee tree is the fore bearer of the trees found in the South and Central America today.
There are 50 types of coffee trees in the world today. But only three are recognized to produce the best coffee bean of all time. No matter who you are, or where you're from - have a quiet moment, enjoy a cup and let your mind wander.
