The History of Coffee
By Raul Hiromu Sumiya
Regular coffee, espresso, cappuccino, mocha, latte, macchiato: If you like at least one of these beverages, you appreciate coffee itself. To understand where this delight came from, we have to go back six centuries ago to Yemen, where the first evidence of coffee drinking were found. In London, the first coffee house was opened in 1652, ballooning to over 2000 by 1700, due to their popularization as centers of intellectual discussions. At these so-called “penny universities, people were charged one penny to enter a coffee house, where they would drink a coffee, mingle with other people and have intellectual conversations. Coffee also has an extreme importance for humanity because relevant events took place “around” it: the first ballot box appeared in London in a coffee house in 1669, for people anonymously express opinions over political discussions; in New York, the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) had its origins in a coffee house.
And how about Brazil? Our country is quite simply the biggest coffee producer in the world, as well as one of the largest consumers. Coffee was introduced here in the 18th century, and we now provide one of the highest quality coffees in the world. Paraná (whose capital is Curitiba) was the biggest coffee producer in Brazil until a few decades ago, though due to a heavy frost in 1975, all of the coffee plantations in Paraná were destroyed. As coffee is produced in different regions in Brazil, the varying climate and soil conditions have led to different classifications for our coffee, such as cerrado baiano, cerrado mineiro, paranaense, sul de minas, etc. Each one is very unique and differ from each other by bitterness, sweetness, acidity and aroma. However, if you want to try something with a special touch, there are coffees with a wide gamut of artificial aromas like chocolate, caramel, almonds, vanilla, etc. Dare we go on? Koppi Luwak, from Indonesia, is a delicacy whose beans are collected from the feces of an animal called a civet and roasted afterwards. Brazil hasn’t been left behind in creating its own version, the Jacu Coffee, made with beans obtained from feces of a bird called the Jacu. At the Municipal Market in Curitiba you can taste all of these varieties in specialized coffee houses. Grab a fresh cup of coffee or take a bag of fresh ground or whole-bean coffee with you.
Coffee is ubiquitous, it’s a beverage that fits any occasion – no matter the subject that surrounds a cup of coffee, it’s amazing how this beverage is present in our lives, from a simple small talk to important business deals, or even for lone relaxing moments. In Brazil, it’s very common to invite friends for a visit saying “come to my home to have a coffee.” In the business context, clients are always offered a cup of coffee before getting down to negotiations. Meanwhile, coffee can be just an excuse to take a break and relax. So, how about a cup of coffee right now?
Raul Hiromu Sumiya, coffee lover, graduated in Computer Science. He may be contacted
at: raul.sumiya@ gmail.com
