History

History of Indian Coffee (via http://www.caleidoscope.in/)

Click on the image to zoOM It is said coffee culture is growing in India these days. Is it true? Not really!! If we flip the pages of history, we get to know there is history to coffee culture in India that many of us are unaware. Coffee has had an…


A History of Coffee


Author:

brandon

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Consumed by adults, all over the world, yet many do not know where the story of coffee began. Understanding coffee will make you appreciate why you love that dark drink so much.Middle Eastern legend states that an Arabian goat herder was the when all of a sudden his flock of goats began dancing around a green leafy plant.On the plant there were berries growing from it, the goat herder decided to try this fruit for himself. He noticed that he was experiencing a strange effect that allowed him to stay awake for hours.He tells others of his discovery, they began using coffee for their own needs. It is said that once introduced to a priest, he began promoting coffee and its effects throughout the monastery so they could have longer prayer sessions. This gave birth to an eye opening beverage that would soon become a frequent pick me up worldwide.


Many believe the goat herding legend to be true in discovering coffee\'s history, others need more evidence than this to believe in when it comes to discussing the history of coffee. Scientists have discovered botanical evidence that proves coffee Arabica began in Ethiopia and then was somehow taken to Yemen, where it was then served up in the Mecca in one of the very first coffee houses in history around the 6th century. It became more of a personal favorite used for comfort, rather than putting it to use for its stimulating effects.



Coffee is a popular choice of hot beverages. The number of coffee shops open for business now is amazing. There is one on every corner in America and is served in a variety of different ways. You can now get coffee in one of its many forms, hot or cold, with or with out flavoring and it is made to order. Many prefer instant coffee when serving coffee in their homes. This shows just how coffee has become a part of our life.


Today it seems as though we are obsessed with coffee. You can find coffee anywhere in the world. Ice coffee, coffee candies, coffee syrup, coffee creamers and the list goes on.We have a curious Arabian goat herder and his hungry goats to thank for this wonderful drink.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/coffee-articles/a-history-of-coffee-5773948.html




Tea in England


Author:

AnutaVasil

The English primarily drank coffee and wine as their staple drink, and tea was unknown in England till as late as 1662. In 1662 Charles II married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal, and it was his new bride who brought with her a preference of tea. She served tea instead of wine, ale and spirit. Tea soon acquired the status of royal drink and a social nicety for the rich.

However, tea\'s acceptance by British masses was quite slow. It was in late 1700 that tea\'s popularity picked up. As tea came from British colonies, it came to be viewed as a national drink, with patriotic sentiments attached to it. Another reason which contributed to its popularity was the ease of its preparation technique. While coffee grounds could be brewed only once, and reusing the same ground yielded a much inferior flavour, tea leaves could be brewed several times without any significant drop in the quality of liquor. As tea was a high class drink and hence expensive, the British masses bought second hand, brewed leaves and brewed them longer to compensate. Tea was thus gradually finding place in British everyday life.



Soon, tea began to be sold in London coffee houses. Tea was heavily advertised as a medicinal drink which helped maintain health and beauty. The coffee house owners charged heavily for a cup of tea, as much as 6-10 pounds per cup. The government soon imposed various taxes, regulations and restrictions on sale of tea, with a view to cash in on the growing tea trend. This even led to tea being smuggled into England. Finally the taxes were waived off to stop this illegal smuggling.

Tea, meanwhile, continued to grow in popularity. Around 1800, there developed an 'Afternoon tea' culture, wherein rich ladies invited their friends for a cup of tea in the afternoon. They also served pastries, sandwiches or some snack along with it. It was accompanied by social graces, refined conversation, sweet gossip and polished etiquette. Yet another popular tea trend was serving tea in tea gardens. Pleasure gardens like Vauxhall or Ranelagh Gardens provided lush lawns for public to stroll and enjoy a hot cup of tea. The working class, however, took a break from work in the evening, and relaxed with tea.

The most well liked and sought after teas were English breakfast tea and Earl Grey. English breakfast tea, as its name, was consumed mostly in the morning as its strong caffeine helped shake off sleepiness and start the morning energetically. It blended sumptuously with milk and sugar, and could be enjoyed anytime of the day. The Earl Grey provided a classic blend of fine black tea with bergamot essence. It was considered more sophisticated a tea.

In 1875, Thomas Lipton aggressively advertised tea. He replaced the coffee gardens in Ceylon with tea plantations, and opened his first tea shop. By the end of 19th century, he had almost set up his Tea Empire and laid the foundations of modern tea trade. The Indian and Ceylon blends, Brooke Bond and Lipton found a firm place in British everyday life. Tea had finally 'arrived' in England.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tea-articles/tea-in-england-4328476.html
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