Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, the seeds of berries from certain Coffea species. When brewed, coffee produces a dark, caffeinated beverage with a stimulating effect.
The origin of coffee is traced back to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. Legend has it that a goat herder named Kaldi first discovered the stimulating effects of coffee berries after noticing his goats' increased energy levels upon consuming them. From Ethiopia, coffee cultivation spread to the Arabian Peninsula, where it gained immense popularity and was cultivated in Yemen by the 15th century. By the 16th century, coffee had reached Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, where it was enjoyed in homes and coffeehouses, also known as qahveh khaneh. The popularity of coffee houses spread throughout the Near East, serving as hubs for social gatherings and intellectual discussions.
