Upscale, trendy coffee houses might be a trend of the present, but they’re not the first to delve into the coffee craze. Ever since the first coffee house opened in Constantinople in the 1400s, the craze has gone in waves, but the latest entrants on the market seem to be here and here to stay.
Coffee makers have been around, not surprisingly, almost as long as coffee. The original coffee brewer was the Turkish Ibrik, a copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. Still used in the Middle East, it produces a very strong brew since it does no filtering.
Once upon a time there was only the lowly percolator. Folks would sit staring at the percolator as water was being heated until pressure forced it up a small tube and over a basket full of grounds.
How could a simple drink be responsible for so many romantic tales and so much hard-headed business? From the first discovery of coffee til today, this dark and pungent beverage has fascinated, enriched, and possibly cured millions.
