Tuesday, November 1, 2011

History of Coffee - England 1690

Coffee’s success in Europe’s rapidly growing cities resulted from the growing resentment against the effects of wine and beer. In England, Italy, France and Holland the coffee house became an immediate threat to the saloons and bars. A gentleman, without fear of intoxication, could slake his thirst and fulfill his need for social and intellectual interaction. The stimulation of coffee would not carry him beyond the confines of good taste.

By 1690, the coffee house was an institution in London and the beverage was sold all over the city. Four pence tax was levied by the Crown on every gallon of coffee sold, and an annual license fee of 12 pence was demanded from each establishment. Green coffee sold for 5 shillings a pound and it was to climb once to a price equal to 48 dollars.

Opposition to the coffee house came from the tavern keepers who saw a quick decline to the liquor trade in the burgeoning competition of coffee. But the forces of temperance prospered and by 1715 there were more than 2,000 London coffee houses catering to every class of society. London consumed more coffee than any other city in the world.

Yours truly,

Mariano Ospina

Pueblos del Café - Salento, Colombia


Colombia has long been associated with premium coffee, and the
province of Quindío typifies this intimate association. There, man and nature
revolve around coffee. Its Spanish architecture, its music and its folklore all speak of coffee and coffee growing. Quindian cities, towns and villages cling
tenaciously to the mountain hills, red-tiled roofs on white houses and wood trimmings painted in blue, red, green or orange. Balconies peer out from under the heavy overhanging roofs onto coble stone streets.

The town of Salento, founded in 1842, is the oldest settlement in Quindío,
developed by the Antioquian colonizers. Its architecture is both modest and
harmonious. The surrounding area is of an alarming beauty, within the Cocora Valley and the Andes mountains.

The Colombian Architect and painter Fernando Turk Rubiano has
painted a beautiful watercolor of this town. You can see his entire art
collection at www.colarte.arts.co.

Yours truly,

Mariano Ospina