Coffee. Tendrils of steam curl up from my favorite red mug. The words, “Caffe Latte” and cute artwork—polka dots and
scrolls—decorate its sides. I wrap my fingers around the cup enjoying the warmth
of this comforting, yet invigorating beverage. Sipping this hot drink and enjoying the quiet companionship of my
husband virtually every morning
are pleasurable habits I formed
years ago, and I’m not alone in
this cozy, daily indulgence. In
the United States alone, over 150
million people, who comprise
more than 50 percent of the population over the age of 18, drink coffee on a daily basis.
Currently, when the word coffee is mentioned most people envision a robustly-brewed, expensive specialty drink. Not that long
ago, though, “canned coffees,” such
as Maxwell House, Hills Bros., and
Folgers, were the brands of choice.
Vintage ads featuring smiling house-wives holding raised cups helped give
coffee that homey, everyday quality.
Ask someone born in America in the
1930s or 40s their view of coffee during the mid-1900s and, undoubtedly,
it wasn’t regarded as an exotic beverage
worth $4 to $5 a cup. Instead it was a
common beverage savored for its bold
taste and “perky” properties.
Legends and History
Interestingly, despite the “common”
feel it has developed over the centuries,
One of the legends surrounding the
origins of coffee involves a 9th cen-
tury goat herder named Kaldi from
Kaffa, which is located in present day
Ethiopia. While tending his flock, he
noticed them frisking about and “danc-
ing” after eating the wild coffee cherries.
He tried the fruit himself, experienced
the effects of the caffeine, and took the
coffee cherries to a monk in a monas-
tery nearby to share the benefits. Instead
of trying the fruit, the monk threw
the cherries into the fire to de-
stroy them. The fire roasted
their seeds, more commonly
known today as beans, and
created a delicious aroma.
Quickly, the monk raked the
coffee beans out of the fire,
ground them, and added water
creating, supposedly, the first
cup of coffee. After this discov-
ery, legend has it that monks
used coffee to help them stay
awake during their prayer vigils.
Around 1100 A.D. Arabian
traders brought coffee beans to
their country, now called Yemen,
and cultivated them. Although
wine was forbidden by the Koran,
the beverage created from boiling
the beans in water—despite its stim-
ulating effects—wasn’t banned.
In the mid-1400s the Ottoman
Turks brought the beverage to Constantinople where spices were added
to create a more exotic flavor. Within
In 1454 the Mufti of Aden, a ruler in
Ethiopia, helped spread the popularity
of coffee as far as Mecca. Consequently,
Special Feature: Coffee www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
Special Feature: Coffee
by Marla A. Schultz
Coffee Craze
Interestingly, despite the “common”
feel it has developed over the centuries,
coffee has a controversial past—both
religiously and politically.