The Morning Cup of Coffee
Jarrod E. Stephens
The Ashland Beacon
Life sure is an extraordinary journey. Our daily routines, or habits, follow the trends and needs of the day. However, some habits really stick; some good, some bad. As many of my fellow humans can attest, I have quite a habit that has been part of my morning and daily routine for as long as I can remember.
There’s a good chance that you are having a cup right now, and there’s a 100% chance that I currently have a large cup within my reach. I prefer strong coffee and can hardly tolerate it if it’s weak. My papaw Stephens would say, “That coffee is strong enough to walk.”
So, where did the magical coffee bean come from and how did it become part of so many lives? Much like some other inventions/discoveries, its origin is legendary and somewhat accidental. Velcro was invented by a man who examined burs that had gotten stuck in his dog’s hair, warfarin was discovered after several animals died after eating moldy hay, and Coca Cola was invented by a man who was trying to overcome his opium addiction.
Now remember, this is a legend. Sometime around 890 A.D. on an Ethiopian plateau, a goat herder supposedly began giving his goats “small cherries” from a tree as a snack. The goats became quite energetic and would not rest at night. The herder, Kaldi, made himself a drink with the cherries and found that the drink kept him alert and awake. Since alertness was important for shepherds, Kaldi no doubt was the first to develop a longing for what would become coffee. The cherries were of course coffee beans and after sharing his discovery with local monks, the news of this energizing drink began to spread.
The actual trade and cultivation of coffee made its way to the Arabian Peninsula where primitive coffee houses began to emerge. It was inevitable that coffee would not remain confined to the Eastern world. Trade and travel aided in getting coffee and coffee beans into homes and businesses in Europe. Coffee houses sprang up in the middle 1600s and the caffeinated drink grew in popularity.
The European Industrial Revolution was a time when mechanization along with human innovation was on the rise. Longer working hours and more rigorous jobs led to a need for more energy over more time. Coffee was one of the solutions. Instead of starting the morning with liquor or wine, which did not improve productivity (imagine that), workers started drinking coffee for quick “pick me ups” and more energy.
If you have any knowledge of early American history, then you likely recall a period before the Revolutionary War where tea was the subject of much controversy. Since tea was so heavily taxed and then boycotted, coffee became a more popular drink. After the writing of the Declaration of Independence, it was read publicly on the steps of a building that was known as the Merchant Coffee House. George Washington even grew coffee plants on his plantation in Mount Vernon.
If you are coffee drinker, then you likely have heard about the rich history of Colombian coffee. I can still recall the coffee commercials showing Juan Valdez and his coffee bean laden donkey walking the mountain roads in Colombia. The coffee bean didn’t arrive in South America until the 1700s. It was quickly realized that the mountainous regions of Brazil and Colombia were the perfect place to commercially cultivate coffee.
Fast forward to today and it is obvious that coffee continues to make its mark on society. Most restaurants serve coffee and a simple drive down the street can reveal numerous establishments that serve the natural and very tasty energy drink. Well, my coffee cup is nearly empty, and I feel it’s time to celebrate the history of my favorite drink by filling my cup back to the top.
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