The coffee plant originates in Kaffa Ethiopia. According to legend, the 9th-century goat herder Kaldi in the region of Kaffa discovered the coffee plant after noticing the energizing effect the plant had on his flock, but the story did not appear in writing until 1671. After originating in Ethiopia, coffee was consumed as a beverage in Yemen, possibly around the 6th century, even though the origin of coffee drinking is obscure. From Yemen, coffee spread into Istanbul, Cairo, and Damascus.
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