Ein qahwa, thank you! The history of coffee.
Coffee, caffè, cafe, kava, kafa… There are many translations to the word “coffee”, however, at the root of such a variety of terms is the Arabic word “qahwa”.
Despite the full origins of the term qahwa remain unknown, it is believed
that the term was first used with reference to wine before being associated
to coffee. Although there is no evidence explaining the passage from
wine to coffee, numerous similarities can be drawn between the two beverages.
Both wine and coffee awaken the senses and help reducing the crave for
to eat. However, compared to wine, coffee has fewer collateral effects.
This perhaps helps explaining why Arabic religious leaders were the
first known coffee drinkers and connoisseurs: the dark, stimulating
brew was appreciated for its power to increase mental alertness and
reduce sleepiness during the long praying sessions. Additionally, history
reaffirms that coffee replaced wine – whose consumption was forbidden
– and became widely spread among the Arabs as early as the XV century.
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