Coffee’s roots are widely debated and like a fine wine, are shrouded in mystery and Romance. There are many versions of how this extraordinary beverage came to be. The most famous and well known is the legend of Kaldi, a third century monk living in Ethiopia.
It is believed that this monk discovered the Arabica coffee bean (indigenous to Ethiopia) when he found his goats dancing wildly after eating the cherries from a bush. He tried the cherries himself and enjoyed their stimulating effects so much that he shared them with the other monks. It soon became a religious ceremonial drink to keep them awake during their long hours of prayer at night.
The Emergence of Coffee as a Beverage
Coffee first emerged in the form similar to tea today. The leaves from coffee shrubs were boiled in water and the liquid was consumed “black”. This preparation technique gave way to the use of cherries and later the roasted seeds of cherries known as coffee beans.
It did not take long for the popularity of coffee to spread, and as a result a great demand was created for drink. Coffee is both a functional beverage (a wake-me-up) as well as a sensual experience. An understanding of the romance and history of coffee is integral to truly enjoy a fine cup of coffee. Few people realize the history they hold in their cup!
The Cultivation of Coffee
The coffee tree grows at altitudes between sea level and 6,000 feet (1829 meters). Botanically, the coffee tree is an evergreen shrub and can grow as high as 10 feet. It is kept trimmed to facilitate harvesting methods. The coffee tree produces hard green cherries, which turn bright red when ripe. Arabica trees are left to mature for a five-year period before they are put into production. Numerous stages of development occur simultaneously.
Coffee is derived form a cherry and is, in fact, a fruit and not a bean, as many people think. (The bean is actually the pit of the cherry.) There are usually two hard green and waxy beans inside each cherry.
How Coffee is grown
Similar to winemaking, coffee farming is a very delicate and intricate process. The coffee plant begins as a shrub, living in seedbeds in a nursery until it is approximately 3 inches high. The seedling is then transplanted into pots, where after a year, it is re-planted in the ground. The cherries on the shrub require the perfect balance of shade, rain and sunshine, and thrive in warm, humid climates.
Coffee Growing Regions
Latin America
o Costa Rica produces some of the world’s finest wet-process coffees. At its best, it balances acidity, body, and flavourful richness.
o Mexico the very best of Mexican coffees have a delicately balanced acidity and are smooth with a hint of sweetness and nutty overtones
o Brazil is the worlds leading coffee growing nation producing 29% of the world’s coffee. Brazilian coffee is typically dry processed and is often described as having a “nutty” flavour.
o Colombia’s coffee is carefully handpicked, wet-processed and beans are graded according to their size, not their quality. Colombian Supremo, large, bold beans, is Colombia’s finest quality coffee.
Africa and the Middle East
o Ethiopia – Coffee is indigenous to Ethiopia, where it was found growing wild in the third century. Much of Ethiopia’s coffee crop goes un-picked because it cannot be accessed by roads. Ethiopian coffee is processed by the dry method and has a pungent exotic quality and a vigorous spicy aroma.
o Kenya – With the most rigid grading and production systems, beans are classified by growing district, bean size and by letters (AA being the largest and highest quality, followed by A, B). Kenya AA produces a cup that is sharp and bright with the perfect balance of acidity.
o Yemen – Yemen Mocha coffee is rich and dark, and can be described as chocolate-like. It is common misconception that the word “mocha” means a chocolate-flavoured coffee. In fact, Mocha is a port in Yemen.
Asia-Pacific
o Indonesia coffees are the fullest bodied coffees in the world. Sumatra, in particular, is famous for its full-bodied, tangy and exotic flavour qualities.
o Vietnam is now one of the world’s largest producers of coffee, however, most Vietnamese coffees are low-grade Robusta.
N.B. A similar, but more comprehensive post can be found here, "Coffee Sessions with the Academe" blogspot.
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