The Legend Lives On . . . From the Birthplace of Coffee
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Legend has it that in 850 A.D. a goat herder named Kaldi discovered – in the
African country of Ethiopia – what we now know as the modern day coffee plant.
Curious, Kaldi wanted to know what could be responsible for the "queer antics of
his flock." Fearing his sheep possessed, Kaldi paid close observation from high
on the mountain and watched as his herd nibbled red berries from the branch of a
strange tree.
When he sampled the berries himself, he felt a surge of exhilaration and rushed
to tell the local Imam. That night the two shared a concoction made of the
berries, pranced around, and generally got pretty tanked on caffeine.
When they finally dozed off, legend has it that Mohammed appeared to the Imam
and said the berries enhanced wakefulness – and wakefulness promoted prayer.
Prayer, counseled Mohammed, was better than sleep.
Sooner than you can say percolate, the Imam and his monastery became famous
throughout Arabia for the spirited praying of its coffee-drinking brethren. Soon
others in the old world were clamoring for the newly discovered bean.
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More Coffee Lore . . . |
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The first drink made from the coffee tree was purportedly a
wine drink made from coffee cherries, honey, and water.
The word "coffee" has its origins in an old Arabic word "Qahwah", meaning
wine.
The term Qahwah, however, was eventually discarded and it fell out of favor
with the spread of Islam and its sanctions against the consumption of
alcohol.
Although coffee is indigenous to the Kaffa (coffee) region of Ethiopia, it
was taken to Yemen by the Arabs and cultivated in the 6th century.
"Coffee", as we know the term today, received its name from the Arabian port
of Al Mukkah (Mocca) on the Red Sea.
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Truly Fine Ethiopian Coffees
One of the many fine coffees is Ethiopian Moka "Stag" which has a distinct
acidity and it yields an intensely aromatic coffee that is rich with subtle
undertones.
Ethiopian
Harrar Longberry is the highest grown Ethiopian coffee and it possesses an
exotic flavor with a rather light body, pleasing earthy notes, and a distinctive
aromatic character.
Another fine coffee is Ethiopian Sidamo, a Mocha style bean with a piquant aroma
and a winey pungency. Much of the crop is still harvested in the traditional
manner from wild trees growing in the high plateaus over 5,000 feet.
The cream of the crop is
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
which is virtually unknown by most people, yet still considered by many to be
the finest Ethiopian coffee. This intense feeling coffee enhances the palate
with its very distinctive floral bouquet, rich body, a pleasingly fragrant
aroma, with a smooth mellowness that's unique unto itself.
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The Cream of the Ethiopian Crop
Like other premium quality gourmet coffees, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee
beans are picked by hand. Yes, it's a tedious process, taking numerous visits
per tree each year, all because coffee cherries do not all ripen at the same time.
A single branch of a coffee tree might very well bear blossoms, green fruit, and
ripe cherries simultaneously.
An experienced "picker" can pick about 200 pounds of ripe coffee cherries in one
day. Although 200 pounds may seem like a significant amount, it will yield about
50 pounds of green beans after processing.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a washed coffee in which the coffee beans, after
having the outer layers of skin and fruity pulp removed, are soaked up to 72
hours in fermentation tanks. Beans treated with this "wet" method will generally
have a higher acidity, a cleaner winey or floral flavor, and more of a full body
than the beans processed by the dry method.
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Always Premium Quality – Never Less
To savor the rich aroma and full gourmet taste of
Ethiopian
Yirgacheffe, it is suggested that you purchase your coffee from a reputable distributor.
Of course, I also recommend you purchase only the premium gourmet quality
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans not the lower grades used for commercial
blending.
Listen Up – There's a BIG Difference
Prior to purchasing coffee by mail order, I used to purchase Ethiopian
Yirgacheffe only in a few local specialty coffee stores. Especially since
Yirgacheffe it isn't yet well known. Still, I occasionally obtained stale beans.
Under no circumstance would I ever think of purchasing Yirgacheffe (or any other
"gourmet" coffee) in the "gourmet" section of a supermarket. After all, the
beans sit there in plastic bins for an indefinite period of time. C'mon, how
fresh can they really be? Exposed to light, air, humidity, and so on.
Now, I purchase all of my coffee from Coffee Wholesale
USA.
Why? I always know I'll get fresh "gourmet" coffee at a very modest price –
especially compared to local specialty coffee houses.
Hey, Let's Compare and See What Happens
To determine the quality difference of the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe that I
obtained from
Coffee Wholesale USA, I decided to do a
test and compare. (Yes, there are quality differences between Yirgacheffes –
just like there are quality differences between Yugo's and Rolls Royce's).
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Always Premium Quality – Never Less
John DeBartolo
New York's
Coffee Meister
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So, I also purchased a pound of Yirgacheffe from the "gourmet section" of
one of the more notable chain stores. Unfortunately, I consumed that
lackluster "supermarket gourmet" brew for about a week.
Then, the Yirgacheffe arrived from Coffee
Wholesale USA.
I was ready. On a fine Sunday morning I ground their fresh Yirgacheffe
beans, placed them in my plunger pot, boiled the water, and lo and behold a
few minutes later I inhaled that fresh, distinctive, fragrant, earthy aroma.
And, of course, I relished the experience as I slowly drained my coffee cup.
Ah yes, what a difference.
I encourage you to try the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from
Coffee Wholesale USA. They sell a premium gourmet quality Yirgacheffe at a very competitive price.
What I need now is another cup of coffee!
Cheerio,
John
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