The History of Coffee Consumption

In my last column, I briefly introduced an anecdote about the spread of coffee cultivation. This time, I'd like to focus on its "consumption"! As the history of "coffee cultivation spreading through theft" shows, coffee has long held such appeal and popularity that people were willing to go to such lengths to cultivate it in their own countries. Today, coffee is consumed in various ways and places, but throughout history, coffee has been used in many different situations. This time, let's focus on the methods of coffee consumption!

It wasn't just for drinking! How it was used in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, said to be the birthplace of coffee, coffee has been used in various ways since ancient times. Here, I will introduce how coffee, with its deep history, has been used!

Like a tea ceremony, the coffee ceremony

The coffee ceremony is one of the rituals of serving coffee passed down in Ethiopia and is still performed today. In Ethiopia, it is called "Kariomon." "Kari" refers to the leaves of the coffee plant, and "omon" means "together," and it is performed to entertain guests. It's similar to the Japanese tea ceremony. Like the tea ceremony, there are set manners and procedures, and coffee is enjoyed in three parts using various tools. The Kariomon is said to be performed by women, and all Ethiopian women are said to learn these manners.

A companion in battle, emergency rations

In Ethiopia, coffee was not just for drinking. Surprisingly, among ethnic groups, coffee was used as food for a certain purpose. That purpose was to keep fighting tirelessly, that is, for war. It is said that coffee berries were ground, mixed with butter, rolled into balls, and used as portable food. The stimulating and fatigue-relieving effects of coffee were useful during inter-tribal warfare.

Muslims and coffee

The role of Muslims was very important in the process of coffee becoming known to people. Here, let's look at the relationship between Muslims and coffee.

The prototype of coffee, "Qahwa"

A drink called "Qahwa," which can be considered the prototype of the "coffee" we drink today, was invented around the 14th century by a Sufi sect of Muslims. Originally, Qahwa was a name commonly used for various drinks, and among them, an tea made from leaves called "khat" which had an awakening effect was famous. However, khat had the disadvantage of not being able to be stored for long. The Qahwa made from coffee, which had similar effects and could be stored, solved this problem.

Two kinds of Qahwa

There were two kinds of Qahwa made from coffee.

Qishr Qahwa

Bunn Qahwa

Qishr Qahwa was made by brewing only the dried pulp of the coffee fruit, while Bunn Qahwa was made by roasting and then brewing both the pulp and the beans. It is said that this Bunn Qahwa gradually evolved to use only the beans, becoming the coffee we know today. Incidentally, in Yemen, you can still drink Bunn and Qishr Qahwa today!

Like students cramming for exams, Sufis and coffee

The Sufis who created coffee Qahwa, why did they create it? Perhaps some readers have drunk coffee for the same purpose. It was to ward off sleepiness. Sufis, who abandon worldly affairs to devote themselves to their teachings, perform various rituals for their training. One of these is "dhikr," a ritual of chanting the name of God all night long. As it was an all-night ritual, many people were overcome with sleepiness during the ceremony. It was then that coffee Qahwa appeared like a savior. Qahwa, which immediately dispelled sleepiness when drunk, became very popular among Sufis! Many Sufis drank Qahwa to avoid falling asleep during the rituals. It didn't take long for Qahwa, consumed by Sufis, to attract attention from others. After this, Qahwa spread throughout Yemen and even to other countries, and eventually the prototype of today's cafes was born... but that story is for another time! Next time, I'd like to talk about "the history of cafes"!