Synopsis
Dive into the fascinating history of the world’s best-travelled beverage
Everywhere humans have been, coffee has followed. Whether plodding through the snows of Antarctica or floating in zero gravity on the International Space Station, or simply refuelling before a regular day at the office – this warm beverage is an essential part of routine life all over the globe.
Once known as the ‘Wine of Islam’, cultivated on Yemen’s mountain terraces and traded among the Muslim peoples around the shores of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, it travelled as far as Java and Jamaica as a colonial good. In a first-of-its-kind account, Coffee traces how this wondrous bean made its way out of the forests of Ethiopia to the fincas of Latin America and Ottoman coffee houses.
Historian Jonathan Morris relates the remarkable story of who the drinkers of coffee were, how they prepared it, why and where they drank it, and what it tasted like. Follow its enlivening aroma through farms and plantations across various regions, discover who worked them and who owned them, how the beans were processed, traded and transported, and finally, the geopolitics governing the coffee industry today. Complete with vibrant illustrations and delicious recipes, this is a pocket-sized guide to navigating the world in your cup.
Details
15 April 2025
9789361137624Reviews
‘I love the Edible series. The whole set would make a great gift for the food-loving reader or the book-lovingest cook in your life’ New York Times
‘This is for the coffee nerd in your life … It's jam-packed with information. I don't think I have read a book this information dense and yet still incredibly readable possibly ever. A great little book that I recommend highly. If you want a ton of history, a ton of information, a ton of background on coffee, this is a great gift’ James Hoffmann, author of "The World Atlas of Coffee" @jimseven, 10 Coffee Gift Ideas
‘With an engaging eye for detail the author explains how this dark and bitter beverage conquered the planet … (A) fascinating read’ OxVeg News
‘The potential problem with any book about the history of coffee is that it might well cover a vast amount of things that people in the trade know already, and in a dry academic way. This one does cover all the expected history, but the enjoyable part of it is the entertaining sidelines which crop up here and there ... This little book is full of such gems. Coffee history does not have to be a dry subject!’ Beverage Standards Association Newsletter
‘Written by a professional historian, it is well structured to provide a clear explanation as to how this beverage has become widespread and popular across the world. It is full of fascinating information …This is a book that provides a good amount of detail, but is still an easy read … The history of coffee is not one that we would often consider, but it is good to learn more about the development of a drink that for many is an important part of their lives’ Methodist Recorder
