One of the most colorful stories of the origin of coffee is the “Dancing Goat Story”. Over 1000 years ago in Ethiopia, a shepherd noticed his goats dancing around a bush with red cherries. After eating some himself, he experienced the same stimulating effects, and danced with the goats. Coffee was discovered! The coffee tree is native to Ethiopia, from there it spread throughout the Middle East and eventually the rest of the world.

Africans later fermented ripe coffee into wine. Coffee was first boiled and used as a hot drink about 675 A.D. in Arabia near the Red Sea. Coffee did not achieve its popularity until it became available in Near Eastern public coffee houses. Although the government tried to prevent its use, prohibition proved unworkable, so the restrictions were lifted and all coffee was taxed. From there it became a very popular drink.

Coffee was regarded as a prized commodity in the Arab nations, so it was closely guarded. Only roasted beans were allowed to be exported from the port of Mocha in Yemen. Sometime during the 17th century, coffee made its way to India and then to the Dutch East Indian island of Java where successful full-scale cultivation began. Java still remains a popular synonym in establishing a coffee tree on the West Indian Island of Martinique from an imported plant. That single cutting is believed to be the ancestor of all trees on all plantations in the West Indies and Central and South America.

The word Espresso is Italian meaning fast. Espresso actually has less caffeine than brewed coffee because it is exposed less time to water which extracts the caffeine. Espresso coffee is the basis for most gourmet coffee drinks such as Cappuccino and Lattes. Coffee is second only to oil in world trade.