An important contribution to the spread of the beverage obtained from the spread of Islam in North Africa, Europe and South Asia, first under the expansionist policy of the Ottoman Empire and later promoted by the development of trade by means of discovery.
In the second half of the land XVI century coffee the eastern borders of Europe, from many directions crossed: the era of tall ships plowing the Mediterranean, the navigators developing their increasingly thriving trade, import and all kinds of goods to the end end, the well-known countries, were responsible for the introduction of coffee in the major ports of the continent.
This is how, in about 1570, but made his appearance in Venice along with tobacco. The merit of its introduction in Italy with the Paduan Prospero Alpino, a famous botanist and physician, who brought him a few bags from the east and, after he considers the plant attributed properties, described in his book "The Planctis aegyptii et Aegiptiorum de Medicina ", 1591-1592 printed.
In the second half of the land XVI century coffee the eastern borders of Europe, from many directions crossed: the era of tall ships plowing the Mediterranean, the navigators developing their increasingly thriving trade, import and all kinds of goods to the end end, the well-known countries, were responsible for the introduction of coffee in the major ports of the continent.
This is how, in about 1570, but made his appearance in Venice along with tobacco. The merit of its introduction in Italy with the Paduan Prospero Alpino, a famous botanist and physician, who brought him a few bags from the east and, after he considers the plant attributed properties, described in his book "The Planctis aegyptii et Aegiptiorum de Medicina ", 1591-1592 printed.
Venice, more than the other sea towns, was "the Eastern market"; in its port docked European vessels coming from the Arabic and Asian countries. Coffee soon found its way there, and could rapidly be found in plenty. Venetians were the first, thus, to leam to appreciate this beverage. At the beginning, however, the price of coffee was very high, and only rich people could afford to buy it, since it was sold only at chemist’s shops.
G. Francesco Morosini, high judge of the doges’ city, Venice, and ambassador of the Venetian Republic to the Sultan, in 1582, in his report from Constantinople, related that in the East there were numbers of public businesses where people were used to meeting each other several times a day over a dark and boiling hot beverage.
Coffee became thus the object of trade and commerce. In consequence of travellers’ reports, some premises open to the public began to appear in Venice, too. Here they served a beverage which was by now making everybody curious! In 1640, the first "coffee shop" opened in Venice. Others followed in many Italian towns, among them Turin, Genoa, Milan, Florence, Rome and Naples. By 1763 Venice numbered no less than 218 outlets!
Just as coffee had been met by the hostility of devoted Muslims, so in Italy too its introduction collided with some Church representatives’ beliefs. So it came about that some fanatical Christians urged Pope Clemente VII to forbid the faithful to drink the "devil’s beverage" – as they called it!
The Pope, prior to the decision, asked for a cup of black but fragrant beverage. They say that in his eyes, he exclaimed: "This drink is so delicious that it is a sin, only unbelievers we overcome Satan by drinking this drink, which is nothing objectionable to a Christian blessing contains!" Had the approval of the pope and the blessing is received for a coffee, a "drink of the Christians," guaranteed success! By the end of the eighteenth century many Italian cities had adopted the same Venetian habit. Served in an elegant cafes or on rough common tables, the beverage was everywhere appreciated.
And how about a little chit chat, while you're drunk? Raising your own mood, and banish worry! Sitting at the table, in fact, they would drink, eye each other and gossip about other customers: It was another important factor in the unexpected success of this company. Eighteenth-century men of culture so much that he called it a "spiritual drink". Coffee aroused interest not only as a "refreshing infusion" but also for its healing powers. So that in a pamphlet, printed in Milan in 1801, high creditworthiness of a number of doctors was to coffee as a "panacea" In Italy, where the temple of the coffee is still open, and inspired by the ancient and picturesque atmosphere. The Cafe Florian in Piazza San Marco in Venice may be the most famous of them all! Wine red velvet, discreet lighting and small tables are still the attraction of the Caffe Greco in Rome, the Pedrocchi in Padua, the Michelangelo in Florence and the Baratti in Turin!
The tradition is still intact, as is the beauty of so many old cafes in all major European capital. Coffee is a great invention, the art of blending and processing based on a specialty that has become a typical Italian tradition!
The tradition is still intact, as is the beauty of so many old cafes in all major European capital. Coffee is a great invention, the art of blending and processing based on a specialty that has become a typical Italian tradition!
