Description

• Ethiopia is the origin of the Arabica coffee plant. Coffee Arabica has been growing wild in the forests of Ethiopia for thousands of years. Legend has it that coffee was discovered in Ethiopia by a 9th century goat herder named Kaldi who noticed that his goats became hyper after eating the cherries from the coffee tree, so he decided to try it for himself. A monk approached Kaldi after he had consumed the cherries and took some back to his monastery. The monk roasted and brewed the coffee to share with the other monks. As a result, they could stay awake during long nights of prayer. Since then, coffee has been widely accepted as a stimulant drink.
• Ethiopia has over 70 ethnic groups that speak over 200 languages. As a result, coffee is referred to by many different names. Some argue that most names for coffee are derived from the district of Kafa - after all the French & Spanish call if Café, the Italians call it Caffe, the Germans call it Kaffee, the Finnish call it Kahvi, the Dutch call it Koffie, and the Greek call it Kafes. All are phonetic approximations of the Ethiopian word.
• Yirgacheffe is known for its shade grown highland coffees. It has fine acidity, body, and flavor. Many people, including me, are attracted to its delicate floral, and tea-like characteristics.