The mysterious origin of coffee beans: cat's contribution or just legend?

Cats’ contribution: The mysterious origin of coffee beans or just a legend?

Coffee, one of the world's most popular beverages, has a long and mysterious history. There are many legends and stories about the origin and discovery of coffee beans. One of the most striking stories is related to cats - it is said that coffee beans were originally discovered because of cats.

Section 1: From Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula

To understand this story, we need to go back several centuries to the Ethiopian plateau, where the climate is suitable and the soil is fertile, very suitable for growing a variety of crops. In this land grows a tree called "coffee".

At the time, people had no idea how to use these trees to produce a delicious drink, until one day a shepherd noticed that his goats became unusually active and excited after eating certain plants.

Driven by curiosity, shepherds picked the fruits of these plants and brought them back to the village. They found that these fruits had a special aroma, so they tried to boil them. In this way, coffee beans were discovered.

Coffee became an integral part of life after it spread from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula, where people began to grow coffee trees and grind and brew them to create a delicious drink.

The second paragraph: The legendary cat

However, in the story of the origin and discovery of coffee beans, a legend associated with cats gradually spread.

It is said that when growing coffee trees on the Arabian Peninsula, farmers often encountered a problem: wild animals liked to eat the coffee beans when the trees were full of ripe berries. To solve this problem, they trained small carnivores called "Yaman" (similar to the domestic pets we know today - cats).

Yamen climbs up coffee trees, eats the ripe coffee cherries, and then excretes the undigested coffee beans. Farmers find that the coffee beans processed by Yamen intestines have a stronger and more special flavor.

So, they began to collect coffee beans from the "cat poop" and created a coffee with a completely new taste through processes such as cleaning, drying and roasting.

Paragraph 3: Scientific Explanation and Controversy

Although this cat-related legend sounds interesting, scientists have raised some questions about it.

First, they point out that similar Yamane behavior was not observed when coffee trees were found growing wild in large numbers on the Ethiopian highlands, so it is unclear whether wild animals really helped humans discover coffee beans.

Secondly, when coffee trees were grown commercially on the Arabian Peninsula, there was no record of the use of yam for collection and processing. Instead, people used more manual methods to separate the berries and seeds.

In addition, scientists also pointed out that the digestion process of coffee beans in the Yaman's intestines may destroy its flavor and quality. Therefore, the legendary "cat poop coffee" may just be a beautiful and illusory story.

Paragraph 4: Legend and reality

Although scientists have questioned the legend's connection to cats, the story still holds a place in coffee culture.

Today, there are many types of special coffee beans around the world called "cat poop coffee", which are known for their rarity and expensiveness. These beans are usually excreted by animals (not necessarily cats) after digestion and are made through special processing.

Whether or not these special coffees are actually derived from the animal intestines, they represent people’s pursuit of novel tastes and experiences. The legends associated with cats have become a romantic and mysterious element.

in conclusion

Whether it is the discovery in the Ethiopian plateau or the legend associated with cats, the origin and discovery of coffee beans has a long and mysterious history. Whatever the truth, coffee as a global drink has been deeply integrated into people's lives.

Whether you believe in this legend associated with cats or not, enjoying a cup of fragrant and rich coffee is still a pleasure and enjoyment. Let us feel the beauty behind different cultures and stories when we taste every sip of coffee.