How Did They Do That? (coffee)

Here's more to ponder on while Dave is away:

Did you ever wonder how they learned to make coffee?

Legend has it that a shepherd named Kaldi was roaming the hills with his herd of goats around A.D. 850. One day he noticed his usually quiet herd behaving very strange: they were frolicking and prancing up and down the rocky slopes excitedly. The shepherd became curious of their strange behavior and hid behind a rock to view the goats nibbling on some berries from a nearby shrub. Kaldi decided to try the berries himself and he, too, became filled with energy.

A priest that was passing by noticed Kaldi and the herd's peculiar behavior and decided to eat some of the berries, and ended up with the same side effects. He would then bring the potent shrub to the monastery but he nor the monks could identify it. They decided to boil the berries in water and drink it. The effects of this drink would keep them awake with enough energy to spend more time in prayer and devotions.

And of course, this drink with the stimulating side effects, is now referred to as "coffee".

In Arabia, where coffee first gained popularity, this legend is the most popular explanation of it's origin. The coffee plant itself was brought to Yemen from Africa. Until the end of the 17th century almost all coffee was obtained from Yemen.

And there you have it. Thanks to a shepherd,a herd of goats,and some monks you can now sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee!