Today's coffee break is taking place at NHY Plaza Premium Lounge, on the premises of Bole Addis Ababa International Airport.
I am about to board a flight to Kigali after an unforgettable nightlife experience in the capital of Ethiopia. Before boarding, I need to savor Ethiopian coffee. After all, I barely slept last night.
Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia around 850 AD. Legend has it that a goat herder, namely Kaldi, noticed something interesting while grazing his goats. The goats in question would become more active after eating the beans of one magical plant.
Kaldi reported his observation to the monks living in a local monastery. The monks, in turn, carried out the first-ever coffee-brewing experiment. When they consumed the product of their experiment, they stayed alert and energized through a long night of prayers. The unsung apostles spread the good news, and the rest is history.
Over the past five years, Ethiopia has doubled its annual coffee production from 500,000 to 1 million tons. This rapid growth is attributed to a number of initiatives, including the Green Legacy Program, which promotes sustainable agricultural practices. The country is known for its high quality Arabica beans. Its biggest markets are North America, Europe, and Asia. In the last fiscal year, Ethiopia's coffee exports generated USD 1.4 billion.
Plans are underway to visit the plains believed to be Kaldi's goat-grazing ground in the 9th Century for an ultimate 'history of coffee' experience. Meanwhile, I have to down a mug of fresh coffee from Kaldi's land before catching my flight.