Coffee

Coffee, namely coffee plants - are evergreen trees or shrubs up to 12 m high with white flowers that resemble honeysuckle. Their fruits, similar to large cherries, consist of two parts - coffee beans. The birthplace of coffee is the Kafa area in southern Ethiopia. Hence the name.

Coffee, namely coffee plants - are evergreen trees or shrubs up to 12 m high with white flowers that resemble honeysuckle

There are different legends about how the property of coffee was invigorated by the person. According to one of them, a shepherd who grazed goats in the highlands, accidentally noticed that goats for some reason do not sleep all night, jump up and down. It turned out that the goats ate the dark green foliage of the bushes, among which blossomed amazing fruits. The shepherd told about this to the monks, located nearby the monastery. They welded the fruit from these bushes. It turned out a nice drink, which was invigorating. Since that time, the monks began to use coffee, so as not to fall asleep during the night prayers.

Learning about these properties, Arab merchants made it a subject of trade. Delivered to Arabia, coffee quickly spread, especially in its south-western part - Yemen, near the town of Moha. To earn more, Arab merchants insisted that all who drink coffee, go to heaven.

Advertising was effective. And, in addition, coffee was pleasantly exciting, like wine, the use of which for Muslims is forbidden by religion. Throughout Arabia many coffee shops appeared.

Soon the Muslim clergy, worried that coffee houses are visiting better than mosques, began to pursue all coffee lovers. And this further contributed to its spread. It began to drink in other Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt.

In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, coffee began to be consumed in Europe. Until the end of the 17th century, it finally conquered Europe. Trade in coffee produced great profits. Therefore, some statesmen, trying to warm their hands on profitable trade, hastened to establish a state monopoly on it. This first came to the mind of the Prussian King Frederick the first, whose treasury suffered from participation in numerous wars. Simultaneously with the decree of the king in the cities of Prussia was introduced a special position snuffer coffee. These members of the government were, while walking the streets, sniffing illegal coffee dryers.

Soon and in Europe, coffee had its friends and enemies. The traders with wine and beer were frightened for their profits: what if, instead of wine and beer, everyone drinks coffee? The merchants paid generously to the local clergy, who at once declared the use of coffee as a sin. The bribed newsmen reviled the first coffee houses, calling them a bunch of conspirators. Others said that coffee causes various deadly diseases. Adherents also claimed that, on the contrary, it is not harmful to health, but tea.

In the end, in the 18th century, Swedish King Gustavus the third, to end the debate about coffee and tea, ordered to make such an interesting experience. Two twin brothers, sentenced to death penalty, were replaced by life imprisonment, but with one condition. One of them will be given a large portion of coffee every day, and the second - tea. At the same time, both convicts were given the same conditions. Two medical professors watched closely who from prisoners would first fall ill and die, in the end, to determine which product is more harmful - coffee or tea. But I had to wait very long. At first one professor died, then the second, the king was killed, and both candidates to the dead continued to drink peacefully their lethal doses of coffee and tea. In the end, the first to die was the one who drank tea, but at... 83-year-old. The harmlessness of both drinks was obvious.

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