Since the 19th century, coffee has become the most popular drink in the world after water.

BRIEF HISTORY OF COFFEE: BETWEEN LEGEND AND PASTORAL ORIGINS

The history of coffee is steeped in numerous legends. Its stimulating effect on the human body was discovered by accident, just like the therapeutic virtues of tea, but over a thousand years later. According to legend, it all began in the 9th century, in Abyssinia, today's Ethiopia. A shepherd living in Kaffa province was amazed that his goats could not sleep at night. Not knowing what to do, he turned to the religious of a nearby monastery, who revealed the secret: the goats liked to eat the cherry-like fruits of a strange plant – the coffee shrub. Driven by scientific curiosity, the monks prepared an infusion with these berries and after drinking the drink they felt filled with energy.

COFFEE - "SOBER DRUNKNESS"

Even today the Ethiopian plateau is considered the cradle of coffee. From there the coffee beans reached Arabia crossing the Red Sea. Coffee cultivation began in Yemen in the mid-15th century. From the cities of Mecca and Medina, the destination of numerous pilgrims, coffee quickly spread throughout the Arabian peninsula. The port town of Mokka remained until 1720 the center of the world coffee trade. For this reason, up until the 18th century, “mokka” was drunk in cafes throughout Europe, a tremendously expensive drink that only nobles could afford. With the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, coffee spread to Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt and southeastern Europe. The whole Islamic world was conquered by the "sober inebriation" of the black drink, whose current name derives from the Arabic word "qahwah" which means "wine", while the Turks called it "kahweh". As Muslims were not allowed to consume alcohol, coffee became the "wine of Islam".

THE END OF THE ARAB COFFEE MONOPOLY

The Arabs guarded the coffee berries and its precious fruits jealously, strictly forbidding their export. The coffee bean trade remained in the hands of the Arabs for a long time, until in the early 17th century, some intrepid Dutch traders had the courage to smuggle the coffee beans into Europe. Here the coffee beans were grown in greenhouses and orangeries, before ambitious colonial powers started growing them on the island of Java, Colombia or Kenya. Coffee, now an internationally widespread commodity, became the "people's drink" in many countries in the 19th century. Lavazza's story also began in those years: in fact, the company was founded in Turin in 1895. What began in 1850 with a mysterious plant is today the most popular drink in the world after water.

Roasting makes the difference

Roasting is one of the most delicate phases of the entire coffee processing cycle. To obtain the maximum result from its coffee selections, the Monti company has skilfully combined tradition and technology in the art of roasting. Raw coffee is subjected to the action of heat which slowly modifies its structure, shape and colour. During roasting the beans open, dilating the typical central crack, they lose weight by about 20% while they increase in volume by an average of 35%.
The degree of roasting characterizes the different blends: the Arabicas require a lighter roast so as not to alter the delicate aromas that characterize them, while a slightly darker roast is indicated for the Robustas. A good knowledge of green coffees is therefore essential for the roast to be perfect.
After roasting, the beans are quickly cooled to fix the aromatic substances and then packaged. Alternatively, they can be ground and packaged in ready-to-use packages.
Once ground, coffee loses part of its aroma within a week. To avoid this inconvenience, it is suitably packaged in special plasticized aluminum foil, in these conditions, the coffee can keep its aroma intact for a long time.

Curiosity

The fruit ripens in 6-7 months, during which it progressively changes colour, going from light green to red and then to crimson. The fully ripe fruits resemble cherries, are gathered in bunches attached to the branches by means of very short petioles and contain two seeds, called grains, surrounded by a sweetish pulp. The period of maximum productivity of the plant begins when it has completed 5 years of life and it lasts for the following 15-20 years. Each plant produces an average of 0.5 kg of coffee per year. The collection of the seeds is done in two ways: by collecting the seeds by hand and selecting them at the time of collection, or by shaking the plants.
Coffee plants prefer rich and humid soils, capable of quickly absorbing water, but also capable of allowing excess water to drain quickly. Since it is not very resistant to frost, coffee is grown in the tropics, in areas characterized by a cool and temperate climate (with temperatures between 13 and 26 °C) and at an altitude between 0 and 1800 metres. above sea level. The seeds are planted directly in the ground or in seedbeds, from which the seedlings are subsequently planted in the plantations. Coffea Arabica grown in Latin America is distinguished in the "sweet" and "Brazil" varieties.
The former owe their name (for example “Medellìn”, “Armenia” and “Manizales”) to the regions in which they are grown, while the “Brazil” take their denomination (for example, “Santos”, “Paranà” and “Rio ”) from the ports of shipment of goods intended for export. It is also produced in Africa and Asia. Coffea Robusta is grown exclusively in Asia and Africa.
Inside a grain… The berry is made up of the epidermis (epicarp), the pulp (mesocarp) and the parchment (endocarp). Below it appear the seeds, ie the two coffee beans covered by a thin film (spermoderma). The bean contains the oily substances and fats which make up the characteristic aroma of the various types of coffee. The characteristics of these change according to the temperature, the degree of humidity and the soil in which they grow. The caffeine contained in coffee is a substance called methylxanthine, which stimulates the central nervous system and the contraction of the heart muscle. It allows a wider breathing, acting on the smooth muscles of the bronchi; it allows you to have more energy available during an effort, favoring the use of fats. Coffee reduces drowsiness, but it can also cause a delay in the onset of sleep, especially in subjects who are not used to taking it; large doses can cause anxiety, nervousness and difficulty in recovery.
Maybe not everyone knows that... To eliminate the stimulating effect of caffeine, you don't need to enjoy long coffee instead of ristretto, in fact, unless it has been prepared ristretto and then diluted with hot water only, long coffee has a higher concentration of caffeine. Bar espresso, due to the faster preparation (the water-coffee contact time is only 15-25 seconds), compared to coffee prepared at home with the moka pot (contact times over three minutes) contains less caffeine .

The sight

The color of the cream has all shades of hazelnut ranging from yellow to brown; the cup, which must be internally white, assumes importance for this evaluation; the consistency of the cream is smooth and compact; it can be seen if, by spreading the sugar, it sinks slowly. The coffee must be drunk within 2 minutes of its preparation.

The sense of smell

The coffee is sniffed by bringing the cup close to the nose, without shaking the contents and without mixing it. The optimal aspects are the strong, intense, persistent aroma; sometimes delicately fruity or with chocolate notes.