Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The global peregrinations of the potable known as Qahwah, or Coffee


Coffee Plant
Originally uploaded by epha.
An outline of the history of the spread of coffee (qahwah, Arabic):

1. Ethiopian origins.
2. Mocha, Yemen.
3. Arabian peninsula and nearby nations such as Turkey & Egypt.
4. Europeans
- coffee houses in London, Amsterdam, Vienna & Paris were centers for writers and thinkers in 1700's.
5. Spread of coffee cultivation via the European colonies.
6. Java, Indonesia and other Asian nations, such as India and Vietnam.
7. East Africa, ex. Kenya.
8. Brazil (largest crop in the world) and other South American nations such as Colombia.
9. Caribbean nations such as Jamaica.


Italian terms:
- espresso
- cappucino
- latte
- barista

French:
- frappe
- demi-tasse
- cafe au lait

Spanish:
cafe con leche