Where does the habit of drinking coffee come from?

2024. 09. 27.

The legend

Many hundreds of years ago, somewhere in Ethiopia, we would have witnessed a strange scene. A merchant noticed that one of his goats was in exceptionally good shape throughout the evening. The animal was happy, jumping.

After it turned out that the goat was snacking on coffee beans, the merchant himself tried eating the berries and experienced the same thing.

But did that really happen?

Or is it just a legend? Where does the habit of drinking coffee come from?

The truth

The truth is, we don't know what the truth is. No records have survived.

The only thing we know for sure is that we are talking about a drink of Eastern origin. It comes from Kaffa, an Ethiopian province to be exact. From there it spread to Yemen, Persia, Arabia and Egypt… and then all over the world.

In the wide world

At first, coffee was not even consumed as a drink, but rather the berry was chewed. It quickly became popular due to its invigorating effect. Monks used it to stay awake during long prayers. They discovered that roasting the grains gives them a better taste and aroma. However, it is not clear to this day why they started to grind it and make a drink out of it.

In the 19th century, travelers and botanists traveling in the Near East reported a previously unknown plant and a drink made from its fruit in Europe. Merchants quickly saw the potential of coffee. Thus, the first sacks full of coffee beans soon arrived in Venice. Coffee became so popular that it spread like wildfire in Europe. Today, after water, coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world.

in Hungary

The culture of coffee and coffee drinking entered our country during 150 years of Turkish subjugation. The Ottomans who lived here brought their customs with them. The first record that coffee was consumed in Buda dates from 1579. At that time, drinking coffee was very far from Hungarian culture. So much so that we didn't even have a word for coffee.

As Ottoman memories faded in our country, Serbian and Italian customs took root. When you brag about Hungarian inventions to a foreigner (ballpoint pen, palinka, Rubik's cube), don't forget to mention the espresso coffee machine next time. This is Ferenc Illy's invention. Who is given no less a title than the "father of Italian coffee". This is how the Italian espresso became "hungarikum".

Cafe culture

The coffeehouse culture simply stems from the fact that social life took place in these places at the time. The XVIII. In the 19th century, apartments did not yet have central heating or electricity. In winter, a dark and cold apartment awaited those who came home from work. So people preferred to spend their time in coffee houses, where life was bubbling. It was possible to meet others and exchange information.

And at this point we reached the real magic of coffee. Because in drinking coffee, the coffee itself, its aroma, roasting and taste are, one might say, secondary. Coffee is usually consumed in community. Not just a drink, but a social experience. It is not by chance that it became the most popular drink in the world. After all, there is nothing better than discussing the great things of the world over a cup of coffee.

There's nothing left to do: order a really professional coffee maker and invite your best friend to try it out together!