Coffee and tea legends
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Time to read 9 min
The legends of coffee and tea
Coffee and tea are two world-famous beverages consumed by millions of people every day.
Being big consumers ourselves, we wondered how these products had been discovered, how we knew, for example, that it was necessary to roast the seeds of this tree to obtain such a beverage!
And in our research, we discovered a universe of legends each one more interesting (and crazy?) than the last.
So here's a summary of what I was able to discover. Let's admit that some legends make you want to believe them because they're so fun :D
Don’t hesitate to comment on your favorites!
Table of Contents
The legends of coffee and tea Tea In China In India In Japan Scientific point of view The Cafe The original stick Kaldi and his goats Ali ben Omar al-Shadhili and the Coffee Route A revealing fire Omar and the Bird Muhammad and Gabriel The cup that predicts the future: Ottoman tasseography Game: Turn your cup over to read your future Baba Budan and the Forbidden Grains Scientific point of view Caffeine, or theine: the science of a molecule And what about health in all this? FAQ: Between myth and reality: untangling the legends
Tea
Originally, the wild tea plant grows in the Himalayan regions (Assam, Yunnan, northern Myanmar and Thailand)
The history of tea is rich in legends, which intrigue us and make this ancient drink precious and mysterious.
Every country, from China to Japan, including India, has ancient beliefs that have kept the myth alive around this magic drink.
Let's take a look at the known ones:
In India
In the 6th century, Prince Bodhidharma, the 3rd son of King Kosjuwo, had a revelation: he was to travel to China to preach the precepts of Buddhism.
He then made a vow not to sleep during his journey, which lasted 9 years.
At the end of the third year, exhausted and about to fall asleep, he picked some leaves from a shrub and chewed them. He immediately felt the invigorating properties, and so he gathered more leaves, using them to complete his journey and stay awake during the remaining years.
It was a tea plant.
Prince Bodhidharma
It is also said that at the end of his 9 years of meditation, Bodhidharma reached a state of grace where he merged with the universe, understanding and feeling the absolute. By staring at a rock, his image was engraved on it.
Legend has it that he was the founder of all martial arts and the famous Shaolin Temple.
In Japan
It is somewhat different from the Indian version. Prince Bodhidharma, exhausted, is said to have fallen asleep after a three-year journey.
When he awoke, ashamed of his weakness and angry with himself, he cut off his eyelids and threw them violently to the ground.
A few years later, he returned and noticed that a shrub he didn't know had grown in the exact spot where he had cast his eyelids. Intrigued, he tasted its leaves and realized that they had the properties of staying awake. It was a tea plant. He told his entourage about it and it became customary to grow tea in the places where the Prince passed. Bodhidharma's philosophy would become Zen philosophy in Japan in the 11th century.
Prince Bodhidharma in Japan
Scientific point of view
Science and legends about the origin of tea agree on its location, but have divergent opinions regarding its birth in time. According to specialists, the origin of tea lies in a relatively vast area including the region of Assam (in northern India), northern Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Yunnan (in southwest China). It is in Yunnan that we find the oldest tea plant cultivated by humans, dating back more than 3,000 years. However, recent archaeological studies have revealed the existence of tea plants cultivated 6,000 years ago in China's Zhejiang region. The first written records date back to 200 BC. Tea is then described as a medicinal plant. The art of tea and infusion dates back to the 8th century, with different methods of production, processing, and tasting.
Source: The book " Tea for Dummies ", available here Text source: the book “ I love tea ", available here .
The Cafe
Just like tea, coffee has inspired many legends.Here are the most well-known and widespread ones.
Interactive Coffee Legends Map
Kaldi and his goats
Around 850 BC, Kaldi was a shepherd in Yemen.
One day, Kaldi, who was peacefully grazing his gentle and obedient goats on the grounds of a monastery in Yemen, saw them eating red berries growing on a dark shrub.
A few minutes later, the goats were jumping around and seemed much livelier than usual.
Intrigued, the shepherd went to the monastery and told the monks about his adventure, who immediately decided to prepare an infusion.
They found that they could pray much longer without feeling the effects of fatigue.
Some time later, one of them came back from harvesting on a rainy day. So he put a branch to dry on the fire and forgot about it.
Returning to find his branch, he enjoyed the smell escaping from the roasted seeds.
He therefore reduced them to powder before infusing them: this was, according to legend, the very first roasted coffee.
Ali ben Omar al-Shadhili and the Coffee Route
Another historical figure, this time very real, deserves his place in the history of coffee: the Sufi Ali ben Omar al-Shadhili .
In the 15th century, it was considered as the first to export coffee from Ethiopia to Yemen , via the mythical port of Moka .
Ali ben Omar al-Shadhili and the Coffee Route
Thanks to him, coffee became a commodity of commerce and worship in the Muslim world. He is also said to be the originator of the first Sufi schools that used coffee to promote concentration and spiritual awakening during night prayers.
A revealing fire
One day, a forest fire in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) affected many coffee trees.
They then gave off such a good smell that the inhabitants, as soon as the fire was out, went to collect the grains.
They pounded them and then infused them in water and thus discovered the very particular taste and virtues of coffee.
Forest fire in Abyssinia
One day, a forest fire in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) affected many coffee trees.
They then gave off such a good smell that the inhabitants, as soon as the fire was out, went to collect the grains.
They pounded them and then infused them in water and thus discovered the very particular taste and virtues of coffee.
Omar and the Bird
One day, a man named Omar, expelled from the city of Mocha in Yemen, found himself wandering in the desert.
Exhausted, he suddenly saw a very agitated bird on a shrub eating its fruit, which flew away as he approached.
Omar and the Restless Bird
Omar then decided to make himself a drink with the fruits of this tree, drank it and suddenly felt much better.
Later, he met a pilgrim who was going to Moka, with whom he shared his discovery, and the latter, as soon as he arrived in the city, celebrated the praises of the ingenious man.
The people then brought him back to the village and carried him in triumph.
Muhammad and Gabriel
One day, the Prophet Muhammad, very ill, had an apparition of the angel Gabriel sent by Allah.
To help him recover, the angel offered Muhammad a black drink that immediately restored his energy: coffee.
Gabriel giving a bowl of coffee to Muhammad
Within the next hour, it is said that Muhammad triumphed over 40 horsemen and honored 40 women.
He called this drink " Quava » (pronounced kawa), a word still used in the Middle East to designate any drink derived from a plant or fruit.
The cup that predicts the future: Ottoman tasseography
Beyond the legends of discovery, coffee is also the origin of fascinating social rituals. One of the oldest is the tasseography , or the art of reading the future in coffee grounds. This practice is said to have originated in the Ottoman Empire, within the harems, where the concubines used this form of divination as a pretext for discussion and bonding.
A woman reading coffee grounds
The grounds left at the bottom of a cup of Turkish coffee formed patterns that were interpreted as omens. This tradition continues in some Middle Eastern countries today, contributing to the mystical aura of coffee.
Turn your cup over to read your future ☕ 🔮
Baba Budan and the Forbidden Grains
In the 17th century, during the height of Ottoman rule, Yemen jealously maintained a coffee monopoly. Green (unroasted) beans were strictly prohibited from being exported in order to preserve this commercial resource.
This is where it comes in Baba Budan , a Sufi sage from India. During a pilgrimage to Mecca, he discovered the Yemeni qahwa and literally fell in love with it. Convinced that he had to bring this treasure back to his country, he took a huge risk: he concealed seven green coffee beans in his belt or his beard ( stories vary ), thus defying the strict ban of the local authorities.
Back in South India, in the mountains of Chikmagalur , he plants the grains in the hills that will soon bear his name: the Baba Budan Mountains .
With this bold act, India became one of the leading coffee-producing countries outside the Arabian Peninsula. Even today, plantations in this region perpetuate his legacy, and Baba Budan is venerated not only as a saint, but also as a the pioneer of Indian coffee .
Scientific point of view
Experts agree on the country of origin of coffee. It was in Ethiopia, in the Kaffa region, that the first coffee trees were cultivated and coffee began to be consumed.
Ali Ben Omar Al-Shadili, considered the patron saint of coffee growers and consumers, appears to be the driving force behind coffee exports. He is credited with building a small port in the 15th century, which would later become part of the future city of Moka. The port of Moka would long maintain a monopoly on the coffee trade, particularly shipments to Europe.
Source: The book " The History of Coffee ", available here .
She is also diuretic , can temporarily increase blood pressure, and even influences the release of dopamine. Although present in coffee and tea, it acts differently depending on the drink : the absorption of caffeine from tea is slowed by tannins, providing a smoother and more prolonged stimulation.
And what about health in all this?
Medical research has examined the effects of coffee and tea. The studies converge: Consuming 3 to 4 cups a day is safe for most healthy adults, and may even reduce certain cardiovascular, cognitive, or metabolic risks.
However, precautions are in order for pregnant women , people cardiac Or anxious , as well as those suffering from sleep disorders. Caffeine-based drinks should still be avoided in excess, especially at the end of the day.
FAQ: Between myth and reality: untangling the legends
Are these legends true or myths?
Most are folk tales passed down orally—like Kaldi and his goats or Bodhidharma in Japan. They are more cultural symbols than historical facts. However, they illustrate well how humankind and traditions have shaped our relationship with these drinks.
Why do we find similar legends in different cultures?
Because coffee and tea have traveled from their regions of origin (Ethiopia, Yunnan, Assam) to all over the world. Each culture has enriched these stories in its own way, sometimes by changing details—for example, Bodhidharma's discovery of tea in India and then in Japan.
Is there a scientific basis in these tales?
Yes, but often different from the legendary part. Science places the geographical origins (Yunnan for tea, Ethiopia for coffee) and on specific periods: for example, tea cultivated 3,000 to 6,000 years ago in China, coffee domesticated in Ethiopia (Kaffa region).
Do these legends add value to today's coffee and tea?
Absolutely! They fuel our imagination, enhance the sensory experience, and create an emotional connection. Enjoying an espresso or a sencha also means traveling through these stories and experiencing the cultural and historical richness they convey.
Gaelle, store manager & marketing
Has a big weakness for espresso, but also cappuccino with Sproud pea milk.
