The First Coffee House in Turkey "The first record of a public place serving coffee dates back to 1475. Kiva Han was the name of the first coffee shop. It was located in the Turkish city of Constantinople (now Istanbul)." "Turkish coffee was served strong, black and unfiltered, usually brewed in an ibrik. They took coffee very seriously, too. In fact, it was such an important item during that time, that it was legal in Turkey for a woman to divorce her husband if he could not supply her with enough coffee" Europeans Transform Coffee "The idea of doctoring up one's coffee with cream and sweeteners came into fashion in Europe around 1529. This was also when the first coffee house in Europe was established." "Vienna was invaded by the Turkish army, who left many bags of coffee behind when they fled the city. Franz Georg Kolschitzky claimed the coffee as the spoils of war and opened a coffee house. Apparently, he had lived in Turkey and was the only person who recognized the value in the beans. He introduced the idea of filtering coffee, as well as softening the brew with milk and sugar. The beverage was quite a hit, and when coffee houses also started serving sweet pastries and other confectionery treats, their popularity exploded." READ MORE
When coffee was king For decades coffee was the beverage most restaurant patrons drank with their meals. "In the Colonial era, though, coffee may have been more of an occasional beverage. Coffee houses were popular gathering spots for business men in the Colonial era and in the early Republic but there is no way of knowing how often coffee accompanied meals in those times. Many coffee houses advertised that it was available all day long, but it’s likely it was outsold by alcoholic drinks." "Then coffee began to gain greater importance as the temperance movement developed in the 1830s. A restaurant owner in Providence RI was an early convert to the role of coffee in reforming heavy-drinking Americans. A religious magazine hailed him for his decision to replace liquor with coffee, stating “If a man must, from habit, drink at 11 o’clock, let him drink ‘Hot Coffee’ and patronize Mr. Dinneford.” In those days 11:00 a.m. was the traditional time for a ‘dram.’" "So almost from the beginning coffee was associated with a sober, alert, and morally superior approach to life." (READ MORE)
John Adams made the switch to coffee in 1774 after he renounced tea drinking as unpatriotic in a letter to his wife Abigail. This was about six months after the Boston Tea Party. Postscript from the letter: "I believe I forgot to tell you one Anecdote: When I first came to this House it was late in the Afternoon, and I had ridden 35 miles at least. "Madam" said I to Mrs. Huston, "is it lawfull for a weary Traveller to refresh himself with a Dish of Tea provided it has been honestly smuggled, or paid no Duties?" "No sir, said she, we have renounced all Tea in this Place. I cant make Tea, but He make you Coffee." Accordingly I have drank Coffee every Afternoon since, and have borne it very well. Tea must be universally renounced. I must be weaned, and the sooner, the better." IMAGE OF LAST PAGE OF LETTER