HISTORY OF THE COFFEE BEAN

The history of coffee was handed down from country to country and lost in legend, until Venetian merchants imported the tasty beverage of eastern origin in the 17th century. Most authorities agree that coffee, originally Turkish-style, was introduced in Paris at the court of Louis XIV by the ambassador of Muhammad IV.

Sweetened with sugar or honey, coffee immediately became a refined habit with the nobility and was widely traded, arriving by ship from the East to the port of Marseille.

From France to England

Coffee quickly spread to other European cities. The arrival of coffee in 17th century London was timely, treating and fighting the widespread alcoholism of the time. The product, initially sold by spice sellers, was so popular that at the end of the 17th century there were more than three thousand coffee shops in London. Coffee became the most popular beverage in Britain before the arrival of tea.

From England to Austria

The first public coffee shop in Vienna, a now famous shop called the Zur Blauen Flashe (The Blue Bottle), opened in 1683. The new beverage was not very popular because the Viennese did not like the strong and bitter flavor of Turkish coffee. The owner soon realized that he had to adapt to suit his customers’ tastes and serve “Viennese-style coffee.” He filtered this infusion to eliminate its dregs, adding honey and cream to sweeten the taste, and serving it alongside half-moon shaped bread rolls. That morning the croissant was born, which still accompanies coffee at breakfast time today.

German speaking countries did not quickly take to coffee, preferring the ancient and much appreciated beer. Only at the end of 1700 was coffee allowed to enter upper middle class society in the city of Lipsoa. Despite initial doubts, the Germans soon became one of the largest coffee consumers in Europe.

From Austria to Italy

In Venice, coffee was known as early as 1570, but it was not until the 1683 opening of the first “bottega del caffe” (coffee shop) that coffee officially became a pleasing beverage and not just a medicine. From that point forward, the Venetians were crazy about this black nectar, and new coffee shops sprang up all over the city. The wave of coffee mania caught on throughout Italy and “botteghe del caffé” spread all over the peninsula: from Turin to Trieste, passing through Padua and Venice, from Venice to Palermo, Florence, Rome and Naples, without overlooking the smallest towns.

These coffee shops played an important role in the political and cultural life of the country. The Italians are without doubt, masters in the art of coffee. This mainly due to the way it is prepared and their “savoir faire,” which makes Italy the country that produces the best coffee.

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