The importance of coffee, which we enjoy sipping in various versions in our daily lives, is quite great. The different flavors it provides depending on the way it is prepared are of cultural importance. It is also known for its health benefits. However, when it comes to coffee, there are many questions about this wonderful drink. Of course, the most important of these topics is the history of coffee.
The Legendary Origins of Coffee
It is not known when coffee, which is an integral part of our daily life, first appeared. However, it is possible to come across many legends on this subject in various sources. One of these legends is based on Prophet Solomon, who is estimated to have lived between 990-930 BC.
According to the legend in question; The population is suffering from a previously unknown disease. Prophet Solomon visited a city and wanted to solve this problem of the people. As informed to him by the angel Gabriel, he roasted the coffee beans coming from Yemen. In this way, he discovered a new type of drink that made the local people healthy again.
Interestingly, when it comes to the origin of coffee, there is another legend that is quite popular due to the attention it has received in western literature. One day, a goatherd named Halid was grazing his goats. Meanwhile, it was noticed that some goats were consuming the fruits of a strange plant. Therefore, he realizes that they experience some stimulating effects.
Halid wondered the reason for the situation; He tried these fruits with curiosity. After experiencing the same stimulating effects, he went to a clergyman and reported the situation. Later, some were made on these fruits. Then, after the experiment, the first foundations of today’s coffee were laid.
When it comes to the origins of coffee, there are many legends like this from different cultures. The first historical records where coffee is mentioned as a beverage and its prevalence are as follows;
Coffee History Records and Its Spread
The first records mentioned about the history of coffee as a beverage are attributed to Ahmed al-Ghaffar, who lived in Yemen in the 15th century. In these records; It is said that members of some Sufi sects in Yemen roast coffee beans and drink them by boiling them in order to stay awake while performing their religious worship.
There are various theories about how coffee came to Yemen. This is a subject that remains a mystery today. But if there is a known fact, it is that the popularity of coffee as a beverage has gained momentum from this point on. In the 1470s, coffee spread to the Aden region. It continued to spread to Cairo in 1510 and to the Mecca region in 1511. Coffee has become more well-known thanks to the benefits it provides. By the late 16th century, it had spread to the rest of the Middle East region, Iran and North Africa.
In 1600 and later, it spread first to Italy and then to the rest of Europe, Indonesia and America. Additionally, many coffeehouses have been opened here. By the mid-1600s, there were more than 300 coffeehouses in London alone.
Ottoman’s Meeting with Coffee
The Ottoman’s first encounter with coffee; It came into being thanks to Özdemir Pasha, who was the Governor of Yemen during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, and brought the coffee he met and loved in Yemen to Istanbul.
Coffee quickly took its place in palace kitchens as a highly respected beverage. It was declared halal in the fatwa given by Bostanzade Mehmet Efendi, the sheikh-ul-hislam of the period. Then it gained even more popularity.
Coffee is cooked in coffee pots after being roasted in pans and thoroughly ground in mortars; Over time, it spread from palaces to mansions and from mansions to the homes of ordinary people. In this way, coffee became a very popular and delicious drink for the people of Istanbul and has maintained this popularity since those times until today.
