The Coffeehouse- is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. From a cultural standpoint, coffeehouses largely serve as centers of social interaction: the coffeehouse provides social members with a place to congregate, talk, write, read, entertain one another, or pass the time, whether individually or in small groups.

Coffeehouses in the United States arose from the espresso- and pastry-centered Italian coffeehouses of the Italian-American immigrant communities in the major U.S. cities, notably New York City's Little Italy and Greenwich Village, Boston's North End, and San Francisco's North Beach. From the late 1950s onward, coffeehouses also served as a venue for entertainment, most commonly folk performers.

 

History of Coffee- According to one story, the effect of coffee beans on behavior was noticed by a sheep herder from Caffa Ethopia named Kaldi as he tended his sheep. He noticed that the sheep became hyperactive after eating the red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures. He tried a few himself, and was soon as overactive as his herd. The story relates that a monk happened by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit." However the monks soon discovered that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help them stay awake for their prayers.

Another legend gives us the name for coffee or "mocha." An Arabian was banished to the desert with his followers to die of starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit from an unknown plant. Not only did the broth save the exiles, but their survival was taken as a religious sign by the residents of the nearest town, Mocha. The plant and its beverage were named Mocha to honor this event.

Originally the coffee plant grew naturally in Ethopia, but once transplanted in Arabia was monopolized by them. One early use for coffee would have little appeal today. The Galla tribe from Ethiopia used coffee, but not as a drink. They would wrap the beans in animal fat as their only source of nutrition while on raiding parties. The Turks were the first country to adopt it as a drink, often adding spices such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew.

Coffee was introduced much later to countries beyond Arabia whose inhabitants believed it to be a delicacy and guarded its secret as if they were top secret military plans. Transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations was forbidden by the government. The actual spread of coffee was started illegally. One Arab named Baba Budan smuggled beans to some mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Early in this century, the descendants of those original plants were found still growing fruitfully in the region.

Coffee was believed by some Christians to be the devil's drink. Pope Vincent III heard this and decided to taste it before he banished it. He enjoyed it so much he baptized it, saying "coffee is so delicious it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it."

Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export.

Fair Trade- “Changing the world, one cup at a time” Coffee is the most heavily traded commodity in the world after petroleum. Yet most coffee growers- small family farmers- have been left behind by this boom and can barely afford their basic needs. The availability of high quality coffees that you enjoy and these farmers proudly produce is being threatened, just as these families are threatened with losing their livelihoods. The “Fair Trade” movement has been established in an effort to sustain the high quality of specialty coffees and sustain the livelihoods of these small producers.

As an alternative to business as-usual, Fair Trade:

            *Pays farmers a decent, living wage for their harvest

            *Creates direct trade links to farmers and their cooperatives

*Provides the farmers access to affordable credit, helping them stay out of debt to local loan sharks

            *Promotes sustainable practices, such as organic farming, that help protect the

   environment and the high quality coffee products that you prefer.

 All of the coffee Brown Cup sales promotes sustainability in three important ways. Modern coffee growing practices have caused soil erosion and severe damage to the environment throughout the coffee growing regions. International certifying agencies confirm that these beans are from producers that embrace traditional, sustainable Certified Organic practices in every step of production. Certification as Fair Trade Coffee is verification that the Fair Trade principles described above are followed. Finally, the Shade Grown designation assures that the coffee was grown in the shade of a taller forest canopy, which provides habitat for wildlife such as songbirds.

            Our coffee is roasted locally in Maryville, TN by Vienna Coffee Company (www.viennacoffeecompany.com) to bring you the freshest, best tasting coffee in the region.