Coffee shops seem to have suddenly sprung up in our streets and shopping malls like mushrooms. Where have they come from? In Yorkshire where I live, you can't walk a block without smelling the wafting aroma of brewing coffee. How did we manage before these cosy, friendly drinking establishments invited us to quench our thirst with their steaming brews? The coffee shop is spreading through our world like a rash. And no one is doing a thing to stop its relentless march.
Coffee shops first appeared in Mecca in the 15th century. They faded away for a while before becoming fashionable in England in the 17th century. Between 1670 and 1690, coffee shops boomed in London, becoming centres for exchanging gossip, discussing politics and doing trade. Merchants did business in corners of coffee shops where deals were done and money exchanged.
The trend faded with time and coffee was served in private homes. But coffee was never as popular as tea. Tea consumption all over the world had always been many times higher than that of coffee. Until recently, if you asked people what sort of coffee they drank, most would say the instant kind.
In the 1990s, American entrepreneurs noticed that most of the world's coffee was a tasteless disaster and the invasion began. In a short time, American style coffee shops were springing up in cities everywhere and consumers eagerly took to the new coffee trend.
But making a purchase in a coffee shop is not as straightforward as you might think. You have to understand the ritual and speak the language. It is no use marching up to the smiling assistant behind the counter and asking for a cup of coffee. The assistant would look puzzled and regular customers would probably roll their eyes at your naivety.
You must know your lattes from your cappuccinos. You have to know what mocha and macchiato are before placing your order. Having the proper coffee vocabulary is essential.