Holiday Coffee History: Finding Common Ground
Reiko Piekarski, Coffee Ambassador | Fortuna Enterprises, LLC
As the Holiday season kicks into gear, my mind often wanders toward the sheer number of people shuffling around this time of year. Whether it's the busy parent trying to hunt and gather gifts for the kids before school break starts or busy business travelers hustling between cities, nearly everyone spends the month of December rushing about in one way or another. There are drivers navigating traffic to transport their customers wherever they need to go, and university students trying to cram for their finals. One thing is certain in all cases, however: the buzz of the season is most thoroughly fueled by coffee. Cafes around the world, more populated than ever as the temperature drops, continue to serve as central hubs for people from many walks of life as they have for centuries.
The First Coffeehouses
Following the discovery of coffee in Ethiopia in the 9th century, news of the invigorating crop gained swift interest in the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee consumption in the brewed format achieved popularity once coffee plants had made their way into Yemen. Drinking coffee originated as a daily family ritual which in and of itself is a very social affair. Furthermore, with alcohol banned in observance of the Muslim faith, the usual social gathering spaces like taverns and pubs did not exist for many cultures. Coffee was even considered the “Wine of Islam” as it was an acceptable beverage to consume, unlike wine or beer. Coffeehouses then became anchors in the Arab world as these places provided common grounds for people to socialize, share and receive information as they were a more respectable environment for such interactions.The Trend Catches On
As European travelers caught wind of this caffeinated ritual, the concept of coffeehouses was quickly adopted and spread throughout the western world. Coffee exportation to Europe fueled the emergence of coffeehouses as they began to replace taverns. The sobering effects of this brewed beverage reawakened the mind and sparked fresh ideas. An unknown London traveler summarized the increasing presence of convenient cafes popular in the city during this period:“You have all manner of news there; you have a good fire, which you may sit by as long as you please; you have a dish of coffee; you meet your friends for the transaction of business and all for a penny!”
Black coffee only cost a penny for patrons, resulting in these shops being referred to as “Penny Universities” also in part because of the amount of information exchanged in within their buzzing environments. The coffee-drinking culture quickly sparked what history has come to know as the Age of Reason due to the awakening of ideas and the mental clarity emerging from the formerly drunken shadows.
Coffee House Culture Today
Cafes today offer a far wider array of options on the menu compared to those first coffeehouses. With the ever-expanding saturation of coffee shops, the goal of creating a unique space became a powerful and expressive manner for cafe owners. The ambiance and the streaming music set the tone for the culture nurtured in the environment, and are incredibly important factors on their own. Information exchange took on a new form with the availability of WiFi, and interactions are now mostly behind glowing screens. Engagement between patrons in general may have evolved over time, however customers do still congregate in these public spaces. Each individual cafe contributes a different aesthetic to the community and will attract patrons who seek a comfortable place to work or interact with others. In some ways, we are all connected even more with the past than we are aware of when we visit our local cafes. In taking a look around, one will notice that modern-day coffeehouses still cultivate meeting spaces for business, academics and for friends to socialize much like the first places in the Arabian Peninsula.Community Connection
Although coffee culture has changed over the centuries, there is still a key aspect in common with cafes today. Whether someone is popping in for a quick cup to go or there are hunkering down in the same corner booth to hash out a novel, the buzz of the coffeehouse reconnects us with the hive mind. They offer a reliable, unchanging and accessible place to cultivate discussions and ignite creativity. The social aspects of these environments are ritualized and we share these practices with the surrounding people. In the thick of all the hustle and bustle this season, remember to take a moment to take in the local coffee shop scene and reconnect with a tradition that has carried on for centuries and spans multiple cultures.
- Reiko Piekarski
Coffee Ambassador
Fortuna Enterprises, LLC
