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THE HISTORY OF COFFEE
The history and development of the beverage we know as coffee is varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political intrigue, and the pursuit of wealth and power. According to one story, the effect of coffee beans on behavior was noticed by a sheep herder named Kaldi as he tended his sheep.  He noticed that the sheep became hyperactive after eating the red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures. He tried a few himself, and was soon as overactive as his herd. The story relates that a monk happened by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit." However, the monks soon discovered that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help them stay awake for their prayers.
The first coffee trees were cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula by Arabs making "qahwa", a beverage made from plants. Coffee was introduced to the New World by Captain John Smith, the founder of Virginia. Some Canadian historians claim it had previously arrived in settled Canada. The Dutch become the first to transport and cultivate coffee commercially. Coffee was smuggled out of the Arab port of Mocha and transported to Ceylon and the East Indies for cultivation. Coffee is now the world's most popular beverage. More than 400 billion cups are consumed each year.
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TYPES OF COFFEE
The coffee plant grows in tropical areas. It grows between 600 to 7200 feet above sea level. Fundamentally, coffee beans are of two types:
Arabica
Arabica is considered a higher quality bean and produces very flavorful and aromatic coffee. It grows best in altitudes between 4000 and 6000 feet above sea level, and requires special soil conditions with just the right balance of warmth and moisture. It takes six to nine months to mature. Because Arabica trees are susceptible to disease, frost, and drought, and fall to the ground soon after ripening, they must be harvested as soon as they ripen. They require careful labor-intensive cultivation and produce only 1 to 1.5 pounds of beans per year. Hence they are more expensive. The beans are low in caffeine content and high in flavor and aroma.
Robusta
Robusta is less flavorful, less aromatic, and has twice the caffeine content of Arabica. It grows best in altitudes up to 2500 feet, and is mainly cultivated in West Africa and Southeast Asia. Because Robusta is more tolerant of cold and moisture, matures in typically half the time of Arabica while yielding twice as many cherries, and does not need to be harvested immediately because its beans do not fall to the ground once they ripen, it is less expensive. This species is normally purchased as a 'filler' bean for canned coffees to reduce the roaster's cost, and is the bean of choice for instant coffee.
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TERMS TO DESCRIBE COFFEE
- Aroma - Aroma is a sensation which is difficult to separate from flavor.
- Acidity - This refers to the crispness of the coffee; its sharp, bright, vibrant quality. Without acidity, the coffee would taste flat.
- Body - As you sip the coffee, you can feel its weight on your tongue. Body is like heaviness, viscosity, thickness, or richness that you perceive on your tongue... Latin American coffees are usually light- to medium-bodied. Coffees with a heavier body will maintain more of their flavor when diluted.
- Flavor - Flavor refers to the total impression of the aroma, acidity and body. Flavor is the overall perception of the coffee. It is generally used to describe the fruitiness, chocolatiness, or spiciness in your mouth.
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