Al-Mokha is not a storm in a coffee cup
The article explores the historical origins of coffee, tracing its roots from the Yemeni port of Al-Mokha to its introduction in India by the Sufi saint Baba Budan. It highlights the cultural and economic significance of the coffee trade.
Why it matters
It provides historical context to a global commodity, linking modern coffee culture to its origins in the Middle East and its spread through historical trade routes.
With every sip of a mocha, caffeine fiends ingest a slice of history, just as alive and kicking as the delectable brew with heady coffee filling much of the cup. Such is the provenance of the drink: its name comes from Al-Mokha, a Red Sea port city steeped in trade in the late Middle Ages and still contested today, as the Houthis, or Ansar Allah, who control northern and northwestern Yemen, hold onto this strategic redoubt.
Yemen, in the present times, may be known for the cultivation of khat, a plant infamous for its psychoactive properties. But once, the land was redolent with the aroma of coffee, long before produce from India reached the high tables of Europe. Therein lies a tale, apocryphal for some but the only truth for coffee aficionados who like to have their drink spiked with myth and legend.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in