The Mysterious Journey of Coffee: Goats to Empires

Did you know that approximately 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide? Behind this incredible number lies a long and tumultuous history of a mysterious fruit discovered in Ethiopia, a fruit that influenced empires, transformed societies, and accompanied countless conversations. Let's embark on a journey through time with this unique beverage.

The Birth of Coffee: Shepherd Kaldi and Abnormal Goats

Coffee's appearance on the historical stage dates back to what we know today as Ethiopia, then Abyssinia. The most famous and accepted روایت begins with the story of a curious man named Shepherd Kaldi. While grazing his flock, he noticed his goats became incredibly energetic, sleepless, and constantly jumping after eating certain red, cherry-sized berries. Kaldi gathered these strange berries and took them to a local sheikh named Shazili. Although the sheikh was initially skeptical, he eventually discovered that the berries provided alertness and energy during religious rituals. This simple discovery would be the spark for a global phenomenon.

From Ethiopia to Yemen: The Wine of Islam

For a long time, coffee was consumed only as a beverage made by boiling its beans. Methods like drying, roasting, and grinding the beans came into our lives much later. Until the late 1400s and early 1500s, coffee was generally drunk in juice form and was called 'the wine of Islam' at the time. While it might sound contradictory, the word 'wine' in Arabic actually meant 'something to drink,' so there was no contradiction in this name. Coffee was also referred to as 'black pearl.'

Coffee gained an indispensable place in religious rituals. Sheikhs and their disciples heavily consumed coffee to stay awake, chant, and worship without sleeping in the name of Allah. Thanks to the energy and alertness it provided, coffee quickly spread among religious orders before reaching the general public.

Why Was Coffee Banned? Behind the Scenes of the Prohibitions

When the topic of coffee bans in the Ottoman Empire comes up, a religious fatwa often comes to mind: that coffee beans were roasted too much, burnt, and consuming burnt products was forbidden, thus making coffee forbidden. However, much deeper socio-political reasons lay beneath these bans: coffeehouses.

Coffee spread from Yemen's Aden port first to the Ottoman Empire, then to Istanbul, and from Istanbul rapidly to all of Europe. The first coffeehouse in Istanbul opened in 1543 or 1553. This modern idea of a social gathering place quickly spread like wildfire. In coffeehouses, people from different cultures, different sects, and even different genders gathered. Inside, tobacco was smoked, conversations flowed, and ideas were shared.

This situation paved the way for the formation of a collective consciousness, and this was precisely what bothered empires and sultans the most. People gathering in coffeehouses, with their minds sharpened by caffeine, thought, talked, and exchanged information with individuals they might never have otherwise encountered. The true reason behind the coffee bans was to prevent this potential collective consciousness and dissent.

Penny University: School of Ideas

This socio-political dynamic was not unique to the Ottoman Empire. In England, the first coffeehouses, which opened in the mid-1500s, were referred to as 'Penny Universities': because for a penny, you could get a cup of coffee along with knowledge and learn something. In these establishments, books were read, and people exchanged ideas. Coffeehouses quickly became known as 'schools of ideas.' In fact, according to some sources, Lloyd's of London, one of the world's largest insurance companies today, was founded in a coffeehouse; this also showed that coffeehouses were important social spaces where business ideas were shared.

The Coffee Sack Left in Vienna

The origins of what we know today as Viennese coffee date back to the Siege of Vienna. Legend has it that Tiryaki Hasan Pasha, a serious coffee addict, took plenty of coffee beans with him to the siege. However, when the siege failed, the bags of coffee had to be left behind in Vienna on the way back, as they would be too heavy. The Viennese gathered around these bags, initially thinking they were animal feed; however, someone who had previously drunk coffee in the Ottoman Empire recognized the beans and explained what they were. The coffeehouse opened with that single sack of beans is narrated as the beginning of the Viennese coffee tradition.

The Croissant Legend: Truly Ottoman?

Another delicacy that comes to mind when thinking of the Siege of Vienna is the croissant. According to a widespread legend, Viennese bakers noticed the Ottoman army digging tunnels, reported it, and thus prevented the siege. To celebrate their victory, they made a crescent-shaped pastry, symbolizing the Ottomans – today's croissant. However, this narrative is largely incorrect. The person who created the croissant as we know it today lived much later, and the story's direct connection to the Siege of Vienna is not supported by historical evidence.

Have You Ever Drunk Real Turkish Coffee? A Bitter Truth

Perhaps the most bitter truth is this: the vast majority of people under 35-40 years old may have never truly tasted delicious Turkish coffee. Until the 1980s, Turkish coffee beans came from Yemen, usually through small-scale but much higher quality production. Today, however, Turkish coffee is mostly made with beans from Brazil.

The most important feature differentiating Turkish coffee from other coffees is that its grounds remain in the cup; that is, it's not a brewing method, but a boiling method. Since it's already a double-roasted product, the longer it sits, the more bitter the coffee becomes. Moreover, most people start drinking Turkish coffee immediately after pouring it, hot; whereas letting it rest for 3-4 minutes after being poured into the cup is critical for its flavor to fully develop.

Turkish coffee, which should normally be made from Arabica beans, is today unknowingly consumed with Robusta or lower quality beans. The Turkish coffee we praise so highly, perhaps we have never truly and deliciously drunk it since we were born.

Why Did Europe Give Up Alcohol for Coffee?

There are several significant reasons why coffee spread so rapidly in Europe. Firstly, access to clean water was extremely limited at the time; making coffee did not require much water and, being boiled, created a perception of 'cleanliness.' Secondly, and perhaps most importantly: while alcohol clouded the mind, coffee cleared it. What people needed at the time was to think clearly and express their ideas. Coffee provided exactly this, and as soon as it entered Europe, it quickly found its way onto all tables and into all homes.

From Chickpeas to Coffee: Turkey's Coffee Shortage Years

Back in Turkey, the coffee shortage periods experienced in the 1980s left deep marks on the collective memory of many families. When coffee was unavailable, chickpeas were roasted and ground, and 'chickpea coffee' was drunk instead of actual coffee. This situation is one of the most striking indicators of coffee's indispensability in Turkish society and the longing for it.

The story of coffee, consumed at 2 billion cups a day, stretches from a shepherd's curious goats to coffeehouses that shook empires, forgotten sacks on battlefields, and chickpea roasts in our kitchens. It's a history too deep to fit into ten minutes – but a piece of it is in every sip.