This is a subject close to my heart as coffee was so much a factor in my adolescence. I didn't start with alcohol until I was twenty, so coffee was a social outlet. The coffeehouse thing was in full swing in the 90s and my friends and I got our fill over a few games of rummy, with live jazz floating in the background (the place burned down and remains a hole in the ground). If we weren't there, then we were at the Middlesex Diner, which was open all night, had a bottomless cup of coffee and wouldn't throw you out as long as you ordered something to eat (cinnamon toast was $0.99). Coffee is what provided a forum for like minded folks to meet and fueled those late night discussions. However, the relatively modern explosion in the USA is only the latest chapter in the long history of the beverage.
Most people thinking of traditional cafe culture immediately think of Paris and the curbside tables jammed with people watching long-legged women with small dogs. These may be iconic, but the first coffeehouse in Paris was established in 1672. Some say the first coffeehouses in Istanbul (then, Constantinople) opened in the 15th Century. From the Middle East, the beverage and tradition moved to Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean community before heading North.
Coffee served in Turkey is a different beast from what most of the world enjoys, though it doesn't seem to be quite the same as the "Turkish Coffee" I've been served in the US and Europe. In my experience, Turkish Coffee is quite like coffee in the USA, but between two layers of "mud" (coffee grounds), it's not too surprising that this was wrong. First of all, coffee in Turkey is generally consumed as a digestive. Water should be drunk first to cleanse the palate. Served in small ceramic cups, you are supposed to sip coffee slowly during conversation. The service (sometimes in a copper case) as well as the form (with the grounds on the bottom and thick foam on the top) are intended to insulate the coffee so you can savor it. Any variety of coffee bean may be used (no coffee is grown in Turkey, remember?), but needs to be more finely ground (a fine powder) than other forms. Sugar is added to taste during the brewing process and should not be added later as this would mess with the insulating layer. In addition to conversation and coffee, smoking is common at this time after the meal, which may include water pipes. Only one cup is generally consumed after a meal, though it may be followed with tea if you want to continue the conversation.
Coffee reached Venice from the Islamic world in the 16th Century. Amusingly, the Italian method of drinking coffee is almost opposite that of the Turkish. Coffee there is generally downed in one gulp while standing (though still in small portions). Italian coffee drinking has informed the current international craze and works from the base of espresso (a single shot of coffee) and naturally, our terminology is all wrong. Additionally, milky coffee is never drunk after noon (basically it's only taken before breakfast), though a drop of booze in it at that time is "corretto." Regular top ups of caffeine throughout the day are common. Most Italians have their favorite regular haunt (or favorite barista) they visit every day where they will gossip, and argue about sports and politics. The Italians seem to have introduced variety to the coffee world, though they don't accept all of its modern iterations with various flavors and ingredients so popular in the USA (funny how it works the same way with beer in the USA).
Vienna and coffeehouses are almost inextricably linked (even recognized by UNESCO). The first coffeehouse was opened there in 1685, but these businesses reached their peak in the 19th Century when famous artists, writers, politicians and scientists became regular patrons. Spending time in one of these establishments can be an all day affair. In these coffeehouses, you could find a broad selection of newspapers to peruse from across Europe, as well as all the latest literary journals. Service in Vienna is given more attention with waiters providing prompt service and refilling water glasses unasked (if you've ever been to Europe, you know how big of a thing this is) and never delivering the bill unless asked. At the beginning of the 20th Century, a Viennese coffeehouse could be a very posh affair with crystal chandeliers and waiters in tails. Marble tabletops are still a common feature, though the grandeur has faded over time as the dark wood paneling gathers layers of cigarette ash. Coffee comes in a variety of guises here as well (see the second Vienna link below), including topping off with whipped cream or cherry brandy. Oh, and while you visit, don't forget to have some cake or pastry. It's delish and perfectly authentic (coffee and cake is a standard meet-up idea in Germany as well). Cafes offer a variety of small meals and deserts to tide you over while devouring the news of the day.
My time in Prague allowed me to visit quite a few of the landmarks (and work in some). Coffeehouses in Prague were modeled on those of Vienna. Vaclav Havel helped to preserve Cafe Slavia, where he and friends would congregate and instigate, though Kafka and his buddies preferred Cafe Arco across town (though not at the same time). I always enjoyed meeting friends at Cafe Louvre (though mostly we drank beer) to shoot some pool in a rather elegant setting. Many large cities in Central Europe were similarly inspired by the Viennese model.
A
small body-colour drawing of the interior of a London coffeehouse from
c. 1705. Everything about this oozes warmth and welcome from the
bubbling coffee cauldron right down to the flickering candles and kind
eyes of the coffee drinkers – Source. - See more at:
http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/#sthash.Z63PAN5t.dpuf
A
small body-colour drawing of the interior of a London coffeehouse from
c. 1705. Everything about this oozes warmth and welcome from the
bubbling coffee cauldron right down to the flickering candles and kind
eyes of the coffee drinkers – Source. - See more at:
http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/#sthash.Z63PAN5t.dpuf
In London, coffeehouses multiplied greatly in the late 17th Century. As in Vienna, the English coffeehouse was a place for high and low to mingle, but generally didn't include women. A one-penny entrance fee was required, but could generally be afforded by and but the poor (which is a big step in such a hierarchical society) . The drink itself was strong and sweet as the Turkish variety, though in larger served in larger portions and perhaps not prepared with the same level of care. Coffee was almost a cultural revolution in London (where folks normally drank alcohol to get through the day). The stock exchange, insurance industry and auctioneering were all founded within London coffeehouses. Naturally, not all coffeehouses were economic hotbeds. They varied wildly depending on the neighboring population and businesses. However, they were all geared towards the exchange of information and opinions, with all the newspapers to provide one if you didn't have your own.
How is it that I've gone this long without discussing Paris again? First, Parisian cafes are not coffeehouses. They often serve a full menu, including wine. Some also have little shops attached to buy those cigarettes you want to smoke while looking good. Coffee arrived in Paris in 1685, thanks to Jean de Thevenot, but was brought to popularity as the result of a visit from the Turkish ambassador in 1669 and was first sold publicly in 1672. At first, it was sold in markets and from door-to-door, but finally the first real coffeehouse was established in 1689. This cafe became the haunt of such luminaries as Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and so on. Coffee was taken extremely sweet, which led to popularizing the use of sugar. Voltaire's favorite drink was said to be a mixture of coffee and chocolate, which is the first mention I've seen of this blend. As in many other nations, cafes became centers for artistic and political discussion, notably serving an important role in the French Revolution. Cafes tended to draw certain crowd which might not have been as diverse as in some other cities. An interesting feature that seems to separate Parisian cafes from those of other nations is that women seem to have been prominent fixtures. In fact, cafes became so popular and widespread that entertainments began to be offered to draw new patrons and keep the old ones. Again, as cafes rose in importance, public drunkenness decreased, doubling the apparent health effects of the beverage.
Brazilian coffee may be a huge export, but it was only introduced to the country in the 19th Century. The most common form to find your coffee is as a small complementary cup of cafezinho after a meal. It surprised me to see cafezinho available even in the dirtiest of buffets (which are very common, though not all dirty), squeezed out of a blue plastic thermos. This coffee tends to be of relatively low quality and sweet enough to give you a toothache. In Rio and some of the other large cities, you can find older European inspired coffee experiences complete with the good stuff, but most coffee is sold at lunch counters or in restaurants. Coffee served in the home tends to use the same aluminum espresso makers you'll find in many Italian households, but still heavily sugared (sugar is also a big national product).
Wow, that took forever and I've barely scratched the surface (sorry Asia as well as most of Africa and South America). As we've seen, coffee played an important role in the artistic and political development of the Western World (I guess in the East it's more of a tea thing anyway. I'll get to that soon, promise). It not only provided an alternative to alcohol (making more clearheaded discussion possible), but also a forum for the discussion of the important issues of the day. Man, we thought we were so hip in the 90s, hanging out in the guts of an old row house, playing cards and listening to bad poetry (though Cafe News did in fine tradition have magazines and newspapers). Little did we know that we were simply following in the footsteps of the millions before us, sharing hopes and fears with our fellows over a hot cup'a joe.
general (conflicting info) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffeehouse
Coffeehouse tradition in Iran - http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1279.html
Turkish coffee - http://www.deliciousistanbul.com/blog/2012/10/16/enjoy-turkish-coffee/
Making Turkish Coffee - https://www.turkishcoffeeworld.com/How_to_make_Turkish_Coffee_s/54.htm
Guide to drinking the stuff in Italy - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/6246202/Italian-coffee-culture-a-guide.html
Italian drinking - http://www.nellositaly.com/the-culture-of-italian-coffee.html
Vienna - http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/saving-the-vienna-coffee-houses
Vienna - http://www.viennadirect.com/food/coffee.php
London - http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/08/07/the-lost-world-of-the-london-coffeehouse/
Paris - http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B701/16MB701.html
Rio - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/travel/25dayout.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Thank you Benjamin, that changes the way I look at a cafezinho and reading about Vienna made me remember a short film, I hope you and your readers like it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsQlK7D0VdU