Coffee Legend: The Legend Of Kaldi

Coffee trees continue to grow in the Ethiopian highlands. The legend of Kaldi originated here in the Ethiopian highlands. There might be some truth to the Kaldi legend, although we will probably never know for certain.

The legend is that it is said Kaldi discovered coffee after noticing that his goats became extremely spirited after eating berries from a certain tree – no doubt this was the “coffee tree.” They became so highly spirited or you might say “agitated” as coffee sometimes makes some humans a bit agitated or stimulated, that the goats did not want to sleep at night.

Kaldi was dedicated and loyal to the abbot of the local monastery and promptly reported his findings. The local monastery made a drink with the berries. He discovered the drink made from the berries of no doubt “the coffee tree,” kept him alert in the long hours of evening prayers. It was not long until the abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery. Very slowly, the knowledge about the energizing effects of the berries began to spread throughout the region and on into the east until coffee reached the Arabian Peninsula. At this point coffee began a journey that spread its reputation all over the world.

We can all trace our heritage of coffee to the trees in the ancient coffee forests of the Ethiopian highlands. Whether you live in Asia, Africa, Central or South American, the islands of the Caribbean or Pacific or the United States, coffee can be found growing in areas all around the world.

The first to cultivate coffee and begin its trade were the Arabs. In the fifteenth century, coffee could be found growing in the Yemeni district of Arabia and on into the sixteenth century coffee became known in Persia, Egypt, Syria and Turkey.

It may have become so popular because the Muslims forbid the alcoholic drink by the Koran. The Muslims found coffee’s energizing abilities to be an acceptable substitute for the alcoholic drink.

Coffee was drunk in homes and public coffee houses, which were called “gahveh khaneh.” These coffee houses began to appear in cities across the Near East. There was nothing quite like these coffee houses for people to gather in for all kinds of social activity. They would drink coffee, talk with each other, listen to music, watch performers, and play chess and tune into the most recent news of the day.

In the short time of 100 years, coffee established itself as a profitable crop throughout the world. Some crops prospered while others did not. Fortunes were made and lost. New nations became established on coffee economies.

By the end of the 18th century, coffee had become one of the world’s most profitable crops.

Source: The National Coffee Association

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By: Connie Limon -

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