"Devil's Brew", spiritual drink, a scholarly beverage, an evil concoction — coffee in the Arab world has gone by many names. In this episode of Matbakh, Mokhtar Alkhanshali takes us on a journey through the history of the drink that defines many of our mornings. From its etymology to the spiritual culture behind its preparation and consumption, and why it was denounced and banned at certain points, this episode will give context to history nerds and coffee-lovers alike. Mokhtar maps the socio-economic background of coffee, its links to slavery and colonialism, and how it appears in literature from the region.

0:00 Introduction
1:21 Is Coffee from Yemen?
14:57 How Coffee Has Changed
25:57 Controversy & Prohibition
33:17 Coffee’s Journey to Europe
46:50 The Environmental Impact of Coffee & Why Yemeni Beans Aren't Served in Coffee Shops Around the World
53:50 Coffee in Mahmoud Darwish's "Memory for Forgetfulness"

Feeling curious and inspired to learn more about the history of coffee? Take a look through Mokhtar's coffee-themed reading recommendations 👉 https://www.afikra.com/daftarjournal/...

Mokhtar Alkhanshali is a historian, community organizer, and coffee innovator. He is the founder and CEO of Port of Mokha, which seeks to reverse Yemen’s nearly lost art of coffee cultivation. He has also established the Mokha Institute.

Explore the Port of Mokha 👉 https://portofmokha.com/
Connect with Mokhtar 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mokhtar_alk...

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?h...

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series:    • Matbakh | Food of the Arab World  

ABOUT AFIKRA
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#coffee #yemenicoffee #historyofcoffee #MokhtarAlkhanshali #monkofmokha #Mokha #portofmokha