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late 17th and early 18th centuries, Dutch became a prominent force in coffee industry with a coffee plant smuggled out of Arab port of Mocha. The Dutch cultivated coffee commercially in Ceylon and in their East Indian colony of Java, which came to be source of coffees' nickname.
However, French stole a seedling and transported it to Martinique. Fifty years later, an official survey found 19 million coffee trees on Martinique, and eventually it’s estimated that ninety percent of world's coffee spread from this one seedling.
The Dutch and French monopoly was broken up in 1727 when Brazil entered fray. Lieutenant colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta was sent by Brazilian government to arbitrate a border dispute between French and Dutch colonies in Guiana. Not only did he settle disagreement, but he also began an affair with wife of governor of French Guiana.
The dear lady bid lieutenant colonel adieu with a bouquet in which she hid cuttings and fertile seeds of coffee that began Brazilian portion of history of coffee. By 1907, Brazil accounted for 97% of world’s coffee production.
As Industrial Revolution swept through Europe and United States, coffee was changed forever. Hills Bros. became first company to vacuum pack coffee, changing coffee industry from a local one to a regional and even national one. Sanka was introduced to United States as first decaffeinated coffee. And Nestle learned how to freeze dry coffee and keep it fresher longer.
The most recent changes in history of coffee come over last sixty years. In 1946, espresso machine was invented in Italy, giving rise to Cappuccino.
And in 1971, Starbucks opened its first store in Seattle’s Pike Place public market. And that ladies and gentlemen is a small and brief history of coffee, which I hope you enjoyed.
© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
Article written by Randy Wilson and brought to you by http://www.ultimate-coffees-info.com.
