Did you know, dear reader, that October 1st is International Coffee Day? And did you know that this holiday was promoted by the Japan Coffee Association in 1983, and that since that date, every year on October 1st, merchants and consumers in all producing countries gather to enjoy one of the world's most prized beverages, sharing and paying special tribute to coffee farmers, growers, and producers, because it is thanks to them that we can enjoy a beverage of unsurpassed quality. For this very special reason, I want to share with you some information about the birth and evolution of this wonderful beverage and the benefits it has brought us from its beginnings to the present day.
We know, then, that speaking precisely about its origin is very difficult, since it dates back so far that writing was not yet known. There are some legends, most notably that of the shepherd Kaldi of Ethiopia, who tasted the unknown plant his goats were eating, feeling the same vitality as they did. There is also talk of a Sufi monk (an Ethiopian religious figure) who observed birds eating the leaves and the red fruit, feeling very animated. It is said that in the Islamic monasteries of Arabia, the first coffee beans were roasted and ground, in a similar way to how they are prepared today. It is important to emphasize that the benefits of coffee only became known after the 15th century, as the qualities of the seed were discovered late due to its long and complicated production process. It was not until the 12th century that its consumption began.
Let's remember that after the prohibition of alcohol in Arab countries, coffee was consumed so much that the first coffee shops appeared, becoming the cradle of liberalism, where intellectuals, philosophers, and thinkers gathered. For this reason, conservative authorities prohibited its consumption, but coffee's popularity was so great that in lengthy legal debates, not only was coffee authorized; Turkish laws also made it grounds for divorce in favor of a woman if her husband did not provide her with a daily dose of coffee. The conclusion is that a cup of coffee develops people's emotional and intellectual spirit, creating lively conversations with fruitful philosophical, literary, and social exchanges among its consumers.
By the 16th century, coffee had already spread throughout the Middle East. It then reached Europe and later the Americas. The first coffee shops were established in European countries such as England and France, where liberal political ideas emerged. Recall that in Paris, a new way of making coffee was invented, and in Vienna, Johann Sebastian Bach composed "The Coffee Cantata," which in one of its scenes describes a girl begging her father not to forbid her coffee during punishment, and that if she marries, her husband will allow her to drink her portion of coffee.
The coffee tree beverage arrived first in the New World, and coffee shops in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York became famous. Accompanied by an exquisite cup of coffee, they made great business deals and launched the coffee and oil markets on what is now known as Wall Street. In the United States, coffee consumption is so widespread that its sales exceed tea imports, which was the preferred beverage of Americans.
We know, dear reader, that coffee arrived in Colombia in 1730, and exports began in 1735, making our country, along with Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru, the main producers and exporters, making coffee the second most consumed beverage in the world after water.
Finally, I want to emphasize, dear reader, how, since the Middle Ages, thanks to taverns in a popular, family-friendly atmosphere, people have enjoyed concerts and plays. These taverns have become popular in France since the 1960s, and in Colombia, we also enjoy these acoustic venues, known as CafΓ©-Concerts. It's also very important to highlight the work of internet cafΓ©s, real spaces where browsing is democratized, creating new human relationships among young people, their most frequent visitors, through virtual space.
Happy International Coffee Day!