Yemen's Coffee King: The Merchant Who Brewed a Global Craze

Before coffee conquered the world, a Yemeni merchant named Balthazar de Monconys was among the first Europeans to taste it in the port of Mocha. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the journey of coffee from Sufi monasteries in the highlands to the bustling trade networks of the Red Sea and beyond. They explore how Yemen's unique climate and the port of al-Makha made it the world's coffee capital, how the Ottoman Empire and European traders fought over the precious beans, and how a mysterious figure known as 'Coffee Baba' became a folk hero in early modern Europe. Along the way, they uncover the surprising role of Yemeni Jews in the coffee trade, the legends of Kaldi and the dancing goats, and the moment when coffee houses in Cairo and Istanbul sparked a moral panic. It's a story of commerce, culture, and a drink that changed the rhythm of daily life across continents.

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