The History of Coffee

Queen's Lane Coffee House
From Sufi Mystics to Modern Cafés: The History of Coffee and Fellowship

This article traces the remarkable history of coffee as a catalyst for fellowship, intellectual exchange, and community. Beginning with Yemeni Sufi gatherings and the first Middle Eastern coffeehouses, it follows coffee's journey into Europe, where "penny universities" became hubs of philosophy, science, religion, and political discourse. From the Enlightenment to modern coffee shops, the story reveals how coffee has consistently brought people together for conversation, learning, and meaningful human connection.

Coffee School 101: The Coffee Tree
Coffee School 101: The Coffee Tree
The coffee tree is a wonderful plant -- one that, I imagine, is really the tree of life talked about in the Bible (those that are sent to Purgatory have to partake from the Robusta tree though). But it is a complex tree. There is no simple harvest. There are no quick fruits of labor. There are massive risks involved. It is important for those of us who enjoy a morning (or afternoon...or evening...) cup to learn more about what is involved in bringing it to us from the initial seed.