Category: Origin Stories, Culture

Story Mode

It's another day for the busy world. But not for our curious Maha. Maha is a school-going kid, who loves to question her dad, Mithran. She almost questions everything, and Mithran also believes that curiosity is the backbone of creativity and knowledge and so he patiently answers all of her questions. So what happens today is another session of questioning between the dad and daughter, but what is it about? Let's hear it.

Mithran's morning routine starts with a cup of coffee, just like a normal human being, or at least he thinks so. As usual, he started his day with a fresh coffee. In India, coffee is brewed and served with milk. The vessel used for this process is called filter. A typical South Indian household either has the aroma of filter coffee or tea in the morning. They find it quite refreshing to have that smell in the early mornings.

Our Mithran was also enjoying his coffee, sip by sip, and by the time Maha woke up and entered the room. lets see what question she has in her mind,

Maha: Good Morning, Dad

Mithran: Good Morning, Maha!

Maha (smells the coffee aroma from filter): This smell of coffee is so good..

Mithran: Isn't? You want a sip?

Maha: No. Mom won't allow me to have it..

Mithran (Smiles)

Maha: But I have a question

Mithran (Smile again): Let me drink my coffee first. Then I will explain all your doubts.

Maha: My question is about coffee only. Who invented this coffee?

Mithran: Okay.. So today is about coffee. Alright...

Maha: Tell me, Dad.. Why does this coffee smell good?

Mithran: One question at a time. There is a story about the origin of coffee.. You want to hear?

Maha (enthusiastically): Yes, yes

The Origin of Coffee:

Mithran: Long ago, there was a goat herder named Kaldi who was from a country called Ethiopia, which is in Africa. He was living in the highlands of Ethiopia, where he was shepherding his sheep. He found his sheep behaving strangely when eating mysterious seeds. So he tried and found that they were energizing. So he picked them up,

Maha: He made coffee out of them?

Mithran: How would he know the process of coffee? He just found some berries from that plant and, not knowing what to do with them, he went to see a monk in a nearby monastery. The Monk thought they were not good and threw them into the fire. Suddenly, that place was filled with Aroma and other monks gathered there and investigated. They roasted the seed, powdered and dissolved the powder in hot water, which is believed to be the start of modern-day coffee. So the inventor award of coffee can be given to Kaldi of Ethiopia or the Monks from the Monastery.

Coffee and Its Travel to Arabia:

Maha: Mmm.. Okay.. So are we getting the coffee from Ethiopia?

Mithran: No.. It was first discovered in Ethiopia, but it travelled a long way to every part of the world. Now, almost all countries have their own source of Coffee beans..

Maha: How did it travel?

Mithran: Mmm. From Ethiopia, it was introduced to Arabia, and they even had their own coffee shops to gather and discuss various things.

Maha: Older day coffee shops?

Mithran: Yes.. They used these coffee shops to discuss and debate about many things and called the place "Qahveh khaneh". It literally means coffee house.

Maha trying to pronounce that name...

Coffee's Journey to Europe and world:

Mithran (Continues): Then the merchants from Venice brought this coffee from the Middle East to Europe. They became popular, and even in Europe, they started coffee houses. So Arab became a hub at one point of time, and from there it went to several parts of the world.

Maha: It was quite a journey. But you didn't answer my question. How do they get it from Ethiopia?

Mithran(Smiles): Maha, coffee traveling means not just as powder, it's coffee beans traveling. I don't know whether you will get its meaning, but coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, after oil. Which means, a single country can't satisfy the needs of the whole world. Every country started planting coffee beans and now produces its coffee.

Maha: Oh.. You told other day that, depending on the place we plant, the nature of the fruit/plant will change. So the coffee also changed?

Mithran: Exactly..You are right, coffee can be planted in the chill climates only. Depending on the country and place, it has many varieties.

Why Coffee Smells Good?

Maha: How does it smell good?

Mithran: Mmm.. While it is green, it won't have the aroma; it's just another seed. But when roasted, it creates new scent molecules. Further, when it cracks in heat, it releases more gases, which causes more aroma. Then we fine grind the beans, which allows more scent to escape, but most of the aromatic chemicals settle in the powder itself. But when we add hot water, that arouses these settled chemicals again, and so we are getting this nice smell.

Maha: But how... (Interrupted by a voice, "Maha, it's time to get ready for school.")

Maha: Okay, Mom.. (To Mithran) Let's continue this evening..

Mithran: Let's get you to school now.

Coffee's aroma gets settled but not the questions in Maha's mind

A Recap

The origin of coffee started in the highlands of Ethiopia, discovered by Kaldi, a shepherd, accidentally, and made as a drink by the monks in a nearby monastery. From there, it travelled to the Middle East and became a prominent drink for intellectual talks in "Qahveh khaneh". From there, it reached the whole world, and because of its rich, refreshing aroma, it still dominates as one of the most popular drinks worldwide.

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