The origin and history of coffee beans: a condensed story

The origin and history of coffee beans: a condensed story

Coffee beans, these small black particles, are an indispensable companion to Starbucks Americano when we wake up every morning. However, have you ever wondered where they come from? In this article, we will take you into the origin and history of coffee beans and explore the stories hidden behind them.

1. What brand is Costa? Origin: African continent

According to archaeologists, there is a plant called "wild coffee" in southern Ethiopia, Africa. This plant is the first place where coffee trees (Coffea) appeared and thrived. Local residents discovered that their fruits have a refreshing effect and began to use these fruits to make beverages.

Over time, "wild coffee" gradually spread to other African countries and became an integral part of local people's daily lives. Whether in Ethiopia, Kenya or Congo, people began to grow coffee trees and process their berries into beverages.

2. Introduced into the Arabian Peninsula: A smuggling adventure

In the 6th century AD, coffee beans began to be introduced to the Arabian Peninsula with the trade activities of Arab merchants. It is said that this was due to a merchant named Khalid ibn Walid who smuggled coffee beans from Ethiopia to Yemen.

In Yemen, people discovered this magical drink and began to study how to make delicious coffee. They first roasted the coffee beans and ground them into powder, then brewed it with boiling water. This new drink quickly became popular and spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula.

3. Coffee enters Europe: the “black gold” of the Renaissance

With the advent of the European Age of Exploration, more and more goods were brought back to the European continent. One of them was coffee beans. In the 16th century, coffee beans entered Europe and quickly became the "black gold" of the Renaissance.

The first country to introduce coffee was Italy, and then it spread to France, Britain and other European countries. People tasted this novel beverage in coffee houses and began to study how to make more kinds of coffee. From then on, coffee became an indispensable part of Europeans' daily life.

4. Coffee beans spread around the world

Over time, coffee beans gradually spread around the world. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Dutch traders brought coffee trees to the East Indies (now Indonesia) and began to grow them there. Later, during the brutal slave trade period, Spanish colonists brought coffee trees to Latin America.

Latin America's climate is very suitable for growing coffee trees, and it soon became one of the world's largest producers. Countries such as Brazil, Colombia and Mexico became major suppliers to the world coffee market.

5. Modern cultivation and processing of coffee beans

Today, coffee beans have become one of the most important agricultural products in the world. During the planting process, farmers need to choose areas suitable for growing coffee trees and control factors such as temperature, humidity and light. At the same time, they also need to regularly prune branches, weed and fertilize to ensure that the coffee trees can grow healthily.

When the coffee cherries are ripe, farmers pick them by hand and remove the pulp. Then, they are dried in the sun or roasted by machines. Finally, these processed coffee beans are packaged and shipped around the world.

Conclusion

From the African continent to the Arabian Peninsula and then to Europe and the world, The Origin and History of Coffee Beans: A Condensed Story takes you to appreciate the legendary journey hidden behind this little black elf. The history of coffee beans is not only a story about commodity trade and cultural exchange, but also the crystallization of human wisdom and creativity.