Coffee traces in The country’s coffee

Original text by Andreas Maryoto

The building loomed at the edge of the River Seine, Paris, France. Of architecture, this building does not have privileges. The travelers will not notice this building if only to see the art building. People who are curious about the culinary history who might notice. Executive summary by Darmansjah.

Building on top there in the original writings Samaritaine supermarket. However, after changing owners, the building was used as apartments, offices, and retail outlets. The story of the building ownership alternated interesting. However, more interestingly, before the building was erected, there is a coffee shop that traces the early entry into the coffee and cafe which became known around the globe.

First it was the discovery of coffee on the Middle East utilizing paa 15th century. People are familiar with and drink coffee. When it came up polemic about the ‘halal-haram’ commodities. Some religious leaders had said coffee is haram because it gets people hooked and forget the religious rituals. However, this debate is not long.

The emergence of the Ottoman Empire that followed the rise of the coffee making trade carried on in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. According to Cemal Kadafar in the text A History of Coffee, Hakam from Aleppo and a comedian, Shams, the origin of Damascus, Syria, came to Istanbul and individual kiosks that provide coffee.

The shop became a meeting place of citizens. Coffee is widely exploited by the Sufis in order not sleepy at night while performing rituals. Initial growth of the coffee shop or cafe is actually from here. Unfortunately, from this place is not a global lifestyle cafe.

Is then merchants from Armenia, a small country located between Europe-Asia, who brought coffee to Europe. Armenian merchants known as nomads and succeed in business. If in Indonesia, the Armenians can be paired with the Minangkabau people who like to wander and succeed in business. Armenians spread to Europe and try to trade. Not a few are up to the Netherlands and then joined the ship to trade in Indonesia.

In Indonesia, they are very successful. There is established a sugar factory and some are business hotels. Unfortunately, because choosing affiliated with the Dutch, during the war of independence they include the army chased people. Many leave their business in Indonesia and fled to Singapore.

Back to the Armenian colony in Europe. France is one of their goals. When the French, including a rich and prosperous country to a lot of people who migrated to France.

Armenian trade of various commodities, one coffee. According to the book le Procope, Once Upon a Time 3 Centuries of History, before the year 1644 is estimated to have coffee go to France. In that year for the first time to the Port of Marseille coffee in the south of France. Coffee was brought by traders from the East.

Merchants that changed drinking habits of French people. In their terms, the traders 'brings the beauty of the great small cup made ​​of porcelain with a beautiful cloth decorated with gold, silver, and silk'. This symbolic phrase to indicate that the seeds of coffee enjoyment sheen like porcelain.

However, drinking coffee until 15 years later is a habit that is only known in certain circles, is very limited, and wealthy individuals. In the article titled The Coffee Trail: A Muslim Beverage Exported to the West, citing the book by Antoine Galland (1699), stated that de la Croix, a translator of King Louis the 14th, informing the king that a man named Thevenot ventured into the East and bring home coffee. Thevenot use coffee beans for himself and his friends when entertaining.

After the coffee runs out, Thevenot can get coffee from Armenian merchants who sell coffee beans in Paris. Coffee was introduced in Paris in 1657. In Paris, the coffee drinkers is also very limited. Appreciation of coffee is only in little houses, like those in the Marechal de Gramont or Cardinal de Mazarin.

As Massive, coffee is widely consumed in Paris in 1669. When the Ottoman ambassador to France, Suleimen Agha, bringing coffee and distributed to acquaintances. Not only that, he also distributed copies to the kingdom. At the same time it introduces a way to drink coffee is certainly known to the new Paris.

Two years later the Armenian merchant named Pafeal or someone calls in Pascal opened a coffee shop in Saint Geman Fair event. However, along with the closing of the fair, Pafeal also cover the coffee shop. He then moved the coffee shop on the ground that it Samaritaine building now stands.

Pafael effort is not considered a success. Less attractive decor shop is one reason. He originally thought the decor at the fair which tend to adopt the East ornate Paris residents is estimated to be accepted. It turns out the calculation misses. She then closed her coffee shop. Pafael reportedly moved to London and successfully do business in the new place.

At the end they re-opened the shop with different decorations and sell some other commodities, such as chocolate and tea. One of the workers then Pafael also known open cafe and later opened a restaurant. This effort caught the interest of Parisians, ranging from the rich to fashion enthusiasts. Number of coffee shops then reach 300 outlets. Coffee shop and then spread to several other cities. French people call coffee shops such as cafes.

Actually, France is not the place the origin of the cafe. Cafés are well known in London and Venice. However, the cafe became famous after it was used to place the development of political debate is heating up in France. Some intellectuals, such as Voltaire, JJ Roseau, and Denis Diderot often hang out in cafes to discuss their ideas.

That cafe continues to grow and be a place for debate, including the revolutionary debates. Many people agree that the ideas of the French Revolution in 1789 appeared in the cafe. The existence of the cafe is not just a part of the history of economic, but also social and political history of France. The cafe also have become increasingly global hangout for rest, talk, or just chatting.