There are countless theories as to the origin of Turkish coffee, that distinctive foamy coffee which is cooked slowly in its own special pot over a brazier then served in a tiny cup accompanied by a piece of Turkish delight or some other confectionery. According to some, coffee originated in the Ethiopian city of Kaffa. Others claim that coffee originated in Yemen where it was called "qahwaw" which means "strength" or "fitness" in Arabic. There are also countless stories as to how it was discovered. The central figure of the most popular is a Yemeni shepherd named Kaldi whose goats began frolicking about excitedly after they had eaten some red berries from a tree. The shepherd was curious and related his story to the local wise men. These sages ate some of these berries as an experiment and discovered that they were able to stay awake easily throughout their all-night worship rituals. The wise men decided that this was truly a sacred medicine. They boiled it into a drink and also used it as a balm for sores. Coffee immediately became popular, particularly as alcohol was forbidden by Islamic teachings. Coffee beans shipped out of the Mocha harbor in Yemen, were also taking on an historic mission, and thus the world discovered the pleasures of drinking coffee .

             The Ottomans were first introduced to coffee in the 16th century when Ozdemir Pasha served the sultan Suleyman the
Magnificent with coffee he had brought back from Yemen. In this same period, Ibrahim Bey of Pesevel reportedly said that "a man from Aleppo named Hakem and a woman from Damascus called Sems opened the first coffeehouse in Istanbul's Tahtakale." Soon coffee drinking became popular and widespread throughout the nation. Although coffee itself originated in Ethiopia, because of the way the Turks both cooked and served it, it soon became known as " Turkish Coffee." In 1543, when the public began to frequent the coffeehouse more than the mosque, the Sheikh ul-Islam of the time issued a proclamation to the effect that "the juice of an object which is produced from something burned until it is coal-like is not religiously permissible." However, coffee maintained its popularity, despite the prohibitions, arrests, and even executions. Cultural events now "in" at New York cafes were common in Turkish coffeehouses, particularly the traditional Karagoz shadow puppets, troubadours, mimics and instrumentalists. The fame of coffee soon spread throughout Anatolia, Syria, Egypt, and Southeastern Europe. The beans reached France by 1669 and then to Venice. Even though the Church proclaimed coffee to be the " work of the devil ," Italian-style coffee soon became highly popular. Vienna met coffee in 1683 while their walls were under siege from the Turks. Unsuccessful in their attempt to seize the city, the Turks left behind bags filled with coffee beans in their hasty retreat. These were given to the Polish Kolschitzky as a reward for his spying activities. He had served as translator to the Grand Vizier, "Black" Mustafa Pasha, prior to the siege, passing on the information he garnered to the Austrians. Kolschitzky thus opened the "Blue Bottle," Austria's first coffeehouse. Coffeehouses became common in London during the 1700s, but upon the pressure put to bear by tea merchants, these were turned into "teahouses." This tea domination however was badly shaken following the discovery of the new world. The establishment of enormous coffee plantations on the Javanese and Caribbean islands accelerated the spread of coffee. When the rebelling colonists in America dumped tea overboard at the Boston Tea Party of 773, coffee became the official drink of the United States. As the popularity of coffee spread around the world, its preparation changed to fit the tastes of each country and it was not long before coffee became the world's most popular non-alcoholic beverage.

Over the past few years, people have started rediscovering coffee and a new coffee " cult" is beginning to spread across the globe. Coffee drinkers now order their favorite beverages as "con panna," "lungo," or "doppio" and true coffee fans are highly versed in roasting and grinding techniques and can discriminate between very similar flavors. Experimentation of various coffee types, while often beginning as a mere whim, is rapidly becoming an obsession and the number of coffee connoisseurs grows daily. Thirty countries across the globe grow coffee and coffee experts carefully select the types grown by these countries. One of the most famous is Columbia, a full-flavored, aromatic and flavorful coffee with a medium range acidity content. The acid in all high quality coffees provides the sharpness and flavor and does not imply bitterness or sourness. The "Maracaibo" coffee of Venezuela is soft, light, and aromatic while Mexico's "Coatepec" has a strong bouquet and medium range acidity. Guatamala's "Antigua" is surely one of the world's finest coffees.It has sufficient acidity, is fragrant, has a medium-full flavor and a full bouquet. Coffee devotees are especially partial to Jamaica's famous "Blue Mountain," a truly full-flavored coffee. Its taste is something of a mix between chocolate and tobacco, the bean has a well-balanced acid level, is aromatic and full-flavored. It is expensive and rare. Brazil is one of the world's top-ranking coffee producers. Its famous "Bourbon Santos" is light yet full-flavored. USA's only coffee source is Hawaii. This state owes its coffee fame to the "Mauna Lao" coffee grown high on the slopes of its volcanic mountain Kona: it has a medium body, a fragrant aroma and taste. Nine countries in Africa grow coffee. The most highly regarded African coffee is "Kenya Grade M" which has a strong, spicy, and nutty flavor. Ethiopian coffee too has a strong but pungent aroma. One of the world's strangest and most expensive coffees is "Kopi Luwak." This coffee is the result of musk cat which roam in the coffee plantations of Sumatra. The cats eat the coffee beans which, having fermented in the cats' stomachs, are reused after being excreted. This coffee is especially popular in Japan.

               The world's finest coffee comes from the "Coffea Arabica" family, grown at heights of 900-2000 meters above sea level. "Coffee Robusta", grown at altitudes under 600 meters is harder, less flavorful, and cheaper. It is primarily used for producing instant coffees. The true characteristics of coffee are determined both by its family and by the way it is roasted. On a scale of one to ten, roasting at 3-4 degrees is termed a "light" or a "cinnamon" roast; this roast is sometimes known as a "New England Roast." A 5 - 6 "medium" roast coffee, which is a light cinnamon color, has a nutty flavor, a high acid content and tastes a little like caramel. This coffee has a full flavor and medium acidity content and is usually known as "American Roast." When the coffee is roasted a little longer it assumes a flavor which is a blend of caramel and chocolate with a slightly burnt taste. This roast also has a lower acid content and is known as " Full City Roast. " At 7, the coffee beans take on a dark brown color with a light coating of oil on the surface. There is a distinctive burnt flavor in the coffee. This kind of roast is called "Viennese" or "Continental" style. At a roast of 8, the beans become very dark and the surface is oily. This coffee has both a burnt flavor and a very sharp fragrance. This kind of roast is called "Espresso." "French" or "Italian" roasts are roasted at the highest degrees ranging from 9-10 until the beans are a very dark brown to black in color. They now have an oily coating and a strong, pungent flavor. The type of the coffee also determines how long it will be roasted. "Jamaica Blue Mountain" or "Kenya Grade A" achieve their best flavor when they are medium-roasted. The Mexican "Altura Coapec" requires a very thorough roasting if its full flavor is to be reached. Preparation methods are also very important. The flavor and aroma of coffee differs according to what methods are used during infusion. There are two main types of coffee: fresh and instant. Instant coffee is ground coffee mixed first with hot pressurized water and then dried through a steaming process. Then the mash is redried and ground. Fresh coffee is prepared in many different ways and ground according to the preparation method. "Coarse ground" coffee is generally cooked in a percolator while "medium" ground is cooked in the "French Press" style. ''Medium-fine'' is the coffee of choice for the two-level Neapolitan Flip Pot. Coffee used for espresso must be finely ground while Turkish coffee requires a coffee that has been ground to a fine powder. Coffee can also be blended, combining coffees from various regions of the world to produce new flavors.

Espresso is the name given to the concentrated coffee beverage that results when coffee beans are roasted Italian style and then boiled in special espresso machines. The formula is one measure of coffee for one measure of espresso water. When one measure of coffee is boiled with half a measure of water, the resulting coffee is known as "ristretto." One measure of coffee per two measures of water is "lungo," while two measures of water with two measures of coffee is called a double espresso or a "doppio." When a dollop of cream is added to the top of an espresso it becomes an "espresso con panna," while the same cream on the top of a double is, naturally enough, a "doppio con panna." "Cappuccino" is an espresso cooked with steamed milk, with milk foam added to the coffee before serving. When a lump of chocolate is added, the result is called "mocaccino." "Caffe mocha" is espresso cooked with a lump of chocolate then mixed with milk foam. This coffee is served with a dollop of whipped cream. ''Caffé latte'' is the traditional Italian breakfast coffee, though it is now available throughout the day. This coffee is prepared by mixing one measure of espresso with seven measures of steamed milk foam. ''Caffé macchiato'' is the exact opposite of ''caffé latte'' , for only one measure of steamed milk is added to a full cup of espresso. For those who are after a healthy life style there is '' unleaded skinny cap,'' a combination of caffeine-free coffee with skimmed milk, in other words a ''decaf cappuccino''. Some people call this ''double no fun!''