Daily Los Angeles herald., 1882-01-21
COFFEE.
Its Origin, Migration and General Use.
New England Grocer.l

New England Grocer.l
Accounts differ as to who, when
and where coffee was first intro.
duced to civilization. An Eastern
legend ascribes the discovery of
the berry to a dervlsh who, in
the year 1885, being driven out of
Mocha, was induced, in the ex-
tremity of hunger, to roast the
berries. He ate them, and, steep.
ing the roasted berries In water to
quench his thirst. discovered their
agreeable qualities. But more
authentic account gives the fact of
its fret being introduced Into Ara
bia from Southern ADyssinia
(where it is indigenous) by Mo-
ham medan high priest about the
year 1900. We are indebted to the
Persians for the discovery OF the
roasting process, and, "a the merits
Of coffee as a beverage would have
emained unknown without that,
some authorities allow them the
credit of teing the first introducers.
lbo CoICOt
Syria, and in the year 1854 we
learn it became the favorite drink
at Constantinople, and the Oriental
coffee houses were thrOnged right
and day. The lower classes actual
ly begged money for coffee, and it
Is stated that the refusing to sup
ply wife with coffee was admit
ted in law as valid cause for di
vorce. Europeans are indebted to
the Dutch for their first acquaint.
ance with the coffee plant. This
was brought about in the following
manner: Some berrie, which
had Ia the first place been
procured at Mocha were carried
to Java and there planted A spec
imen plant was sent nome to Am
sterdam in 1880 by Governor Will
son. This plant bore fruit, from
which many young trees were
propagated, and from this original
most Of the gardens of Europe and
the East indies are supposed to
have been furnished. In 17l4
plant was presented by the magis.
trates of Amsterdam to the French
King, Louis XIV. This plant was
carefully nursed, and from this
source plants We, forwarded to
the French West India Islands,
and from these all the coffee new
found in the Western Hemisphere
derives its origin. The Parisians
Immediately adopted the drink
and it became the fashionable
beverage of Paris. 1t could only
be INDUCED in by the wealthy few,
as the price was exOrbitant. It il
stated that u sum equivalent to
$l5, 900 per year was expended for
supplying the daughters Of Louis
XIV. with the beverage. Ths Eng.
lish owe to Mr.. Edwards, a Turkey
merchant, their knowledge of cof.
fee. This gentleman, about the
year 1850, brought to England q
Greek youth, who used to prepare
the drink for his master. The lat
ter, no wever, finding the novelty
begin to attract too many visitors
to his house, gave the boy his lib.
erty, and enabled him 10 open a
coffee-house on his own account.
At first it met with violent opp0-
slti0n; it was denounced az a He'll
drink, Hell.poison, etc. A heavy
tax was imposed upon it by the
Legislature; but, Notwithstanding
all opposition, the beverage con-
stantly gained ground, and coffee
houses were as plentiful in London
as at Constantinople.
Across the water the custom
jumped and the infant United
States commenced to nourish its
strength from the coffe pot, and in
90 place in the world probably are
the influences more healthfuI, the
effects more happily displayed
than at the old French market in
New Orleans. The coffee vendors
are distributed throughout the mar.
ket place and streets and are kept
as busy as bees supplying cups Of
coffee to the Europeanr Creole,
New Englander, Wssterner, who,
standing side by side In the open
street, forget caste and sip nectar.
The coffee houses in New York are
intimately associated with the his.
tory OF the city, They we're con-
sidersd the place for all literary,
professional and mercantile topics
to be discussed.
But the coffee house is q thing of
the past. The more pretentiOus
club house has taken it's place, and
the lovers of coffee are driven to
the home circle or the restaurant
for their favorite drink.