Coffee History

Coffee's origin is somewhat of a mystery. One legend traces the discovery back to the 3rd century. Another says that coffee was really discovered by a group of goats and a goat herder. No matter who discovered it, coffee dates back to around 900 A.D.

Everyone is pretty much in agreement that the coffee tree is indigenous to Ethiopia. From there it spread to Arabia, and then to the Far East and South and Central America. Coffee was introduced into Turkey in 1554; Venice in 1615; France in 1644; England and Vienna in 1650 and North America in 1668.* It was first a food, then a wine,a medicine, and finally a beverage.

European coffee houses attracted patrons with more than hot beverages.
The establishments often offered services such as a reading room, musical performances, billiards, and letter writing materials. In Paris, one cafe had a separate room reserved for fighting duels; another hosted the premiere of the world's first motion picture. Even the word "tip" can be traced to coffee houses where patrons wanting good service would place coins in a box that carried the words "To Insure Promptness". In 1732, Johann Sebastian Bach lauded coffee as “The most precious of bliss’s” in his piece entitled "Coffee Cantata".

Coffee became big in the United States in 1773, when King George put a tax on tea. The colonists responded to this tax with The Boston Tea Party and a strong turn to coffee. The roasting of coffee beans began in the 13th century, and drinking coffee for breakfast dates back to the late 1600's. Here in the U.S. 51% of all coffee is still consumed at breakfast.

Over 50 countries grow more than 8 billion pounds of coffee each year. Today, coffee ranks second only to oil as the largest commodity in international commerce with an approximate value of over $10 billion a year; the industry provides more than 20 million jobs.

* 1984 Tea & Coffee Trade Journal Company, Whitestone, N.Y.

OUR BLENDS
Don't Be Fooled! Not All Coffee Is Created Equal

Our Arabica beans grow from 2,000 to 6,000 feet; primarily in Central and South America and Eastern Africa. Although Arabica beans represent 75% of the world's production, only about 10% qualify as specialty coffees sold by gourmet retailers. The higher the altitude, the more mild the beans are. They are more expensive, but are a better tasting bean with no aftertaste. At PrairieFire, we start with 100% High Grown Arabica beans (The most prized coffee grown), imported from the finest coffee growing regions of the world. After personally inspecting and sampling each load, we ship the selected beans directly to our roasting plant in Wichita, Kansas. Here, the raw beans are blended and flame roasted to exacting specifications, assuring you of the freshest, most satisfying rich coffee served. Today, speciality coffee is experiencing a revolution of it's own, as world purveyors of fine coffees, we are serving a new generation of tastes thanks to countless variations that include Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte and assorted flavored coffees. And nowhere is the selection more varied, or the flavor more rich, than the coffees produced by PrairieFire. That's why PrairieFire guarantees your coffee will be deliciously fresh and consistent, order after order, cup after cup.

A LIST OF OUR BLENDS:

FRENCH ROAST
Our darkest roasted coffee, with a slight smoky taste.This blend makes it Excellent for after dinner.

ESPRESSO
Espresso, full bodied, good aroma with the natural oils on the beans.

KONA BLEND
From the islands of Hawaii, blended to perfection. Get the taste of Kona without the high price.

CONTINENTAL ROAST
Coffees from 3 different continents make up this wonderful blend. Heavy yet smooth.

PRAIRIE BLAZE
Dark Roasted blend of 100% Arabica beans with medium body, light acidity.

SIGNATURE BLEND
100% high grown, Arabica beans, smooth and mild with no after taste.