A Brief History Of Tea And Coffee

Tea and coffee are two beverages with very rich histories. There?s a whole culture surrounding these beverages. You don?t just drink coffee or tea; usually, it?s a social event or an event invested with ritualized meaning. Here is a brief glimpse at the history of these two very significant beverages.

According to ancient legend, coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, where it grew wild. Goat herders made the realization that their goats, after eating the coffee berries, couldn?t keep still and couldn?t sleep during the night. There?s another story about a dissident who was sent into the desert to die of starvation. The man, whose name was Omar, and his disciples happened upon the coffee plant and in despair, they ate it. It was the coffee plant that saved their lives. They made it to a nearby town called Mocha, where local residents saw it as a miracle.

Coffee was first brewed in around 1000 AD, according to researchers. Sufi monasteries in Yemen in southern Arabia were said to drink coffee regularly enough for it to be mentioned. It seems that coffee made its way from Ethiopia to Egypt and Yemen. Arabians are credited with roasted and brewing coffee in the manner that we are accustomed to today. Coffee spread to the rest of the Middle East and northern Africa by the middle of the 15th century. From there it spread to Italy and the rest of Europe, then to Indonesia where it was then transported to America.

The Arabians weren?t keen to share their precious coffee beans; so in order to make sure no one else could grow them, they cooked or boiled the beans, making them infertile. However, according to one tale, an Indian by the name of Baba Budan smuggled out some fertile beans by taping them to his belly. This way, coffee arrived in Venice and spread all around Europe.

The Dutch began importing coffee in significant amounts, defying the Arab prohibition in 1616. They then took their crop to Java and Ceylon. Exports of Indonesian coffee to the Netherlands took place around 1711.

Today, coffee is drunk the world over. Brewing the perfect cup has become something of an art form. It?s not just water and beans, but rather, temperature, water quality, roast and care.

Tea has a long and varied history too. It can be traced back to ancient China. The emperor Shen Nung is credited with discovering tea about 5,000 years ago. As a wise and learned man, the emperor passed an edict that all water should be boiled before it was drank. One day, while the emperor and his court were traveling, they stopped for some water. The servants set up the pot to boil it and some dried leaves from a bush fell into it, making tea. The emperor, always inquisitive, tasted the new concoction and was delighted. This was the birth of tea.

Tea was big in ancient China. Lu Yu wrote a comprehensive book on tea in the year 800 AD describing cultivation methods, tea drinking practices and rituals. The book became very popular.

Tea was first introduced to Japan by the Buddhist priest Yeisei who had been in China and saw first hand how it enhanced meditation practices. Tea was an immediate hit. Soon an art form was erected around tea and the famed Japanese Tea Ceremony was created.

Europe came to know tea by way of a Portuguese priest who brought the drink back by way of the East in 1560. Since then tea has become very popular.

Damian Papworth adores his Krups 4 cup coffee maker. You can read his write up on the One Cup Coffee Makers site.

Tags: Beverages, coffee, Drinks, food and beverages, food and drinks, health, leisure, nutrition

October 02 2010 | coffee | No Comments »

Understanding Countries And Their Different Coffee Beans

There's more to drinking coffee than just walking into a shop and asking for a small, medium, or large cup of whatever the house blend is. The amount of time and effort it takes to grow and harvest coffee beans around the world deserves a little more respect from the average consumer, especially since the delicate taste you get has nothing to do with the barista at Starbucks, and more to do with faraway volcanic slopes and mountain ridges.

Yes, what really makes coffee taste great are the beans themselves, or the special regions in countries around the world where the weather gets together to create the perfect growing environment. To learn a little bit more about the world's different coffee producing regions, as well as the most popular beans, you needn't look any further than this handy guide, which will teach you how to make the best possible pot of coffee around just by learning which brands to select.

Sulawesi Toraja Kalossi One of the most popular and rare varieties of Arabica coffee around, these coffee beans grow at extremely high altitudes on the island of Sulawesi. The coffee is full-bodied, slightly more acidic than the similar Sumatra blend, and known for its fruit and dark chocolate undertones. As far as Malaysian coffee goes, this is one of the finest beans coming out of the area, and it commands high prices.

Kape Barako One of the types of coffee grown in The Philippines, not many people are familiar with Kape Barako, because of an infestation of Coffee Rust in the 1990s that almost wiped out the plants forever. A type of Liberica species, the coffee, when available, is popular with gourmets, who enjoy a blend where it's mixed with Arabica to get the best tasting coffee with a distinct aroma.

Costa Rican coffee Not as well known as Columbian coffee by any means, Costa Rica has long been a country where coffee was a hugely important cash crop. The most popular varieties of beans are West Valley, Tres Rios, and Tarrazu, which are known worldwide for their very good body and aroma, as well as a level of acidity that's rather manageable. These coffee beans are used in blends frequently.

Kopi Luwak Always wanted to try a coffee made from beans that have already been eaten and digested? Well, you might have done that inadvertently, with Kopi Luwak coffee beans. Grown in Java, the coffee is some of the most popular around, all thanks to Asian Palm Civits, which love the coffee beans, eat them, and then digest them in a remarkable process that adds more flavor for us humans later. Apologies in advance if coffee was just ruined for you forever.

Remember, while different countries all produce different types of beans, it doesn't mean that the names on this list are the only type of coffee bean grown in that particular country. Furthermore, it is possible that many of these beans have shown up in different names and varieties through United States importers.

Now that you know the history of some of the world's more popular types of coffee, including the coffee beans they're made from, you can hold your own at a number of dinner conversations, as well as make a more informed choice in the grocery store. Best of all, you'll be able to choose beans that lead to a greater cup of morning coffee, for yourself and your family.

For a sizable weekend BBQ, Damian Papworth's 8 cup coffee maker comes in real useful. On any other typical day though, one cup coffee makers are more appropriate. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

Tags: Beverages, coffee, Drinks, food and beverages, food and drinks, health, leisure, nutrition

June 07 2010 | coffee | No Comments »