The history of coffee is somewhat debated, however legend says the most consumed drink of all time was discovered by a young goat herder ‘Kaldi’. One day he noticed the goats that were grazing on the cherries in the surrounding area, had become full energy and began skipping around vigorously. Intrigued by the effects of the cherries, Kaldi picked some and brought them back to the local monks. The Monks were unsure about the strange cherries and seeing the effect it has on the goats declared them as the ‘devils work’ and cast them into the fire. Out of the fire an irresistible aroma was created from the burning cherries. Curious about the delicious aroma, they salvaged the burned cherries and crushed them. The caffeine in the cherries kept the monks awake at night for religious observance; no longer seeing the coffee cherries as ‘evil’ they brewed them and what they discovered is what we call coffee today!
Ethiopia is currently the world’s 5th largest producer of coffee, with 15 million, that comes out at 16% of Ethiopians working in the coffee industry. The coffee industry is key to Ethiopia’s economy. However the last couple of decades have been challenging for Ethiopia, with political and military instability, the coffee production was seriously affected. Farmers left their crops behind and began moving to the cities for more security. Things are looking up, and now Ethiopia is becoming more stable and investing in the growth of the coffee production. Coffee plays and important part in Ethiopia, the plantations are essential for women as they provide them with work. In the area of Yirgacheffe a large majority of the plantations are run by men, however during the harvest season a high percentage of women tend to take over the work, this provides healthcare, education and food for their families. The people of Ethiopia devote a great deal of time and energy to the coffee craft and the end result is simply stunning, the Yirgacheffe coffee is a beautiful clean cup with berry sweetness and hints of molasses.
So why should you try Ethiopian Yirgacheffe? The reasons to try this beautiful coffee are endless. The coffee itself is has a stunning aroma and flavour, but more so that drinking Yirgacheffe coffee is like drinking part of the history of coffee itself. Drinking coffee from its origin, where it is grown, picked and handled with care is supporting Ethiopia’s growing market that relies on coffee sales to sustain production. No other source puts as much dedication and care into their coffee, viewing it as a craft not merely a business, for that alone it’s definitely worth a try.
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