Coffee Informative Speech

Have you ever wondered where the most common thing we see every day comes from? Or how it came to be? After oil, coffee is found to be the most common thing traded in the entire world. Coffee is known everywhere and developed in different ways depending on where you are. According to www.pbs.org “ it is estimated that 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed each day worldwide.” Ever wondered why New Yorkers live a very fast paced life and never seem to rest? Its probably because they drink seven times more coffee than any other U.S. city. There are many cool facts about coffee, but the true interesting information is found where coffee comes from and how it got traded throughout the world over time. Every place has adapted coffee and has made it their own.

First, how was coffee found?

Unfortunately there is no true location or person that is known to have founded this phenomenon called coffee, but there is a popular Ethiopian legend according to www.pbs.org that states that “coffee is discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi, who found his goats frolicking and full of energy after eating the red fruit of the coffee shrub. Kaldi tried the fruit for himself and had a similar reaction. After witnessing their strange behavior, a monk took some of the fruit back to his fellow monks; they too spent the night awake and alert. Of course, they would have been reacting to coffee’s high dose of caffeine.” Most people often refer to this story when talking about the origin of coffee but it was never truly discovered if this story was true or

not.

Second, when you think of coffee your mind always pictures a dark brown liquid that most people drink every morning with their breakfast. This popular liquid actually never came to be until years of manipulation of the fruit. Yes, fruit. Coffee is actually a cherry-like fruit in its most un-processed form. Inside this fruit contains a dark brown seed that in modern day is called the coffee bean. Before this was discovered, a very popular thing to do with the fruit was to mix it with animal fat and make a protein bar sort of speal. The first drink to come from thus fruit was actually a wine like liquid that came only from the pulp of the fruit, not containing the actual coffee bean.Thus bringing us to the meaning of the word coffee, which is qahwah, meaning a romantic term for wine.
People found many ways to develop this fruit into many things. It wasn't until the 13th century that people began to discover that you can roast the coffee beans, and this is where it all began. The way we see coffee today was originated in Arabia, the Arabs found that by boiling the beans you can make a drink they thought as to be a powerful stimulant that contained powers perfect for their praying sessions. Coffee was so popular and common in that area that it is said it never left Arabia and Africa until the late 1600’s. A man named Baba Budan, an Indian pilgrim left Mecca with some fertile beans and began to grow and trade them. Coffee then became the most wanted trade items in the world. Referring to www.ps.org “In 1616, the Dutch founded the first European-owned coffee estate in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, then Java in 1696. The French began growing coffee in the Caribbean, followed by the Spanish in Central America and then Portuguese in Brazil. European coffee houses sprang up in Italy and later France, where they reached a new level of popularity. Now, it is due rigueur for Parisians to indulge in a cup of coffee and a baguette or croissant at the numerous coffee cafes throughout Paris.” This was all in foreign countries. Coffee never really reached the U.S. until the early 18th century. Even then coffee wasn't such a popular phenomenon as it was everywhere else. It wasn't until the Boston Tea Party in 1773 that people began to drink more coffee to replace tea. The civil war was also a factor in demand for coffee. The soldiers would rely on the caffeine to keep them alert and awake for long periods of time.
By the late 1800s the entire world was now obsessing over coffee. Making everyone obsess over finding ways to profit over it. In 1864 the first “self emptying coffee roaster” was invented. Later two men named John and Charles Arbcuckle started selling pre roasted coffee in a bag. This small two man business blew up and the started selling to people all over California. Since these two men were so successful people began investing in coffee and opening their own coffee houses.
Next, some cultural traditions and practices associated with coffee all over the world. First, the most common one known is the Ethiopian practice, because coffee is believed to be founded there, people often perform coffee ceremonies. According to mrcoffee.com “Flowers are scattered around the room and incense is burned to ward off evil spirits. Coffee beans are then boiled until clean, and it's served to all as a sign of love and respect.” In Italy coffee is generally served in a small mug that is meant to only be picked up with two fingers and is very potent as it is a straight coffee shot. In Cuba, similar to the Italian way, coffee is served usually as shots. something strong and powerful to hold you over through the day. In Turkey, according to mrcoffee.com, “coffee is more than just a drink. Served from a cezve after meals and during social gatherings, the coffee is strong and dark. In Turkish tradition, the coffee beans that remain stuck to the bottom of the mug are used to tell a fortune. After sipping your coffee, turn the cup upside down, leave for a few minutes, and look to see if you can interpret a message from the remnants.” In France the typical way to start your day is with a hot cup of coffee and a croissant.
This research paper really opened my eyes and made me take more interest in where foods come from and how they were moved and traded all over the world. Researching has changed the way I think about coffee and the way i see coffee now. I learned that we as humans are amazing in changing the way food tastes and modifying it to taste different ways