ABSTRACT
The Ethiopians were the first people to drink coffee, perhaps 3,000 years ago (Allen 1999; Anthony et al. 2002; Wild 2004). They made their coffee from the species Coffea arabica, which is endemic to the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. The first coffee drink was likely made from leaves rather than beans. The caffeine is much lower in the leaves, but an infusion of the leaves would still give a bit of a buzz like tea. Even today, Ethiopians drink two beverages made from leaves: kati or kotea, made from roasted leaves, and amertassa, made from leaves allowed to dry in the sun for a few days.
