Srilanka, Oct. 5 -- The story of coffee begins in the highlands of Ethiopia more than a thousand years ago. Local legend recounts a story of a goat herder named Kaldi, who observed his animals becoming restless and full of energy after consuming the red cherries of a wild shrub. Curious, he tasted them himself and felt the same surge of alertness. Bhikkhus in nearby monasteries soon discovered that these beans, when steeped in hot water, helped them stay awake through long nights of prayer.
From those early hillsides, coffee began its long journey across the world. By the seventeenth century, coffee had reached Europe. In cities such as London, Paris, and Vienna, the drink inspired the creation of bustling cafes, often called "penny univer...