Most people travel to see different places, meet different people and experience various cultures they’re not accustomed to, but some people travel for the sole purpose of satisfying desires for something like coffee! If you love coffee and traveling then you probably won’t mind too traveling hundreds of miles and spending lots of money just to get a taste of the best coffee in the world. You might want to make your trip more enriching and enjoyable this time by embarking on a journey through coffee’s rich history.
Drinking coffee started in Ethiopia and from there it spread to the world through Egypt and Europe. Today, coffee is an integral part of Ethiopians’ culture. They typically perform coffee ceremonies when friends come to visit. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is a special honor and thus, one must not hesitate to join the family in the ceremonial preparation of the coffee.
Coffee came to India and Java (now Indonesia) through the Dutch in the 17th century. After a few years, these Asian countries became the biggest suppliers of coffee to Europe. In fact at present Indonesia is the 4th largest coffee exporter in the world. Many tourists in Java go to Kaliklatak, a well-known working plantation of coffee, rubber, cocoa, clove and spices in East Java. What would be better than drinking aromatic Java coffee that is fresh from the plantation where it is grown, roasted and brewed? The experience would definitely be delightful!
For those with delicate taste buds, coffee from Jamaica would be perfect! The British were the ones who introduced coffee to Jamaica in the early 18th century. Now Jamaica is the home of the world’s most expensive and finest coffee grown in the Blue Mountains. One of the finest coffee is also found in Hawaii where the first US coffee was planted and grown!
If you prefer the luxurious and romantic milieu of Europe, indulge in Caffe Florian in Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy. It’s the first European coffeehouse built in 1720 and is still open up to now.
By Khristine
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Well apparently a rare and gourmet coffee does come from Indonesia, it is made out of beans passed through the digestive systems of a monkey, the palm civet. The enzymes from the intestines of the monkey give the coffee its distinctive and unique taste. Now it is bought mainly by Japanese buyers, but orders do come from all over the world. The monkey eats the outer covering of the ripe coffee berries and swallows the rest whole which comes out unharmed and ready to be cleaned and roasted. Apparently it is one of the best tasting coffee around, however I am going to stick to my "not real coffee", Nescafe.
For cappucino lovers, don't drink Nescafe's instant coffee, it's terrible and only the best coffee shops can make your favorite hot beverages without wasting your money on items that people see on TV and believe them.