A Brief History
On September 29, 2024, we celebrate another National Coffee Day, reveling in our appreciation for that “Cup of Joe,” “Shot of Caffeine,” “Java,” “Go Juice,” or whatever you want to call it. Hot or cold, coffee keeps America going to the tune of 400 million cups a day!
Digging Deeper
Nearly half of all Americans drink coffee, and the US is the largest consumer of coffee among all countries. On the other hand, per capita coffee consumption leaves the US back at #25, while Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden lead the per capita race, perhaps a nod to their northerly locations.
The origins of coffee are lost to history, perhaps starting on the Arabian Peninsula or even Ethiopia. Cultivation and the use of coffee spread during the 15th and 16th Centuries, and by the 17th Century, Europe developed a taste for a cup of mud! Even Pope Clement VIII gave his approval of the hot beverage.
Note: The subject of coffee is a topic that can be covered much more extensively than in a brief article such as this. The types of coffee, where and how it is grown, and the different ways it can be prepared (including flavoring candy and ice cream) are all subjects for more in depth articles. Since you asked, my personal favorite is Kona coffee!
Question for students (and subscribers) to ponder: What is the best way to enjoy coffee?
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Allen, Stewart Lee. The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee: A History of the World According to Coffee. Soho Press, 2018.
Hoffman, James. How To Make The Best Coffee At Home. Mitchell Beazley, 2022.
The featured image in this article, a photograph by Alayna the Extravagant of a white coffee cup, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
You can also watch video versions of this article on YouTube.