 All
the secrets of a cup of coffee lie in the
heart of a little red berry that fascinates
the world and kindles the imagination.
Here's where the story begins. According to legend, a herd of hungry goats and their Arab caretaker, Kaldi, fell one day upon red berries flourishing in strange bushes on a high plateau in Ethiopia. When tasted, the berries revealed to have a strange effect on the goats, which started kicking up their heels with exuberance.
Kaldi then spread the news and the 'heavenly' berries became a ritual throughout the country.
First introduced to the Arab world by pilgrims, coffee's culture remained a long time monopolized by the Arabs.
It's not surprising then that the word coffee derives from the Arab word "qahwa" which means "wine", coffee or any drink made from plants. When coffee has finally reached Europe, it was often called "The wine of Arabia".
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