History of Coffee Mocha

The term “mocha” originally referred to coffee that was grown in the Arabian Peninsula and shipped from the Yemeni port of Mocha (Al-Makha). Coffee from Al-Makha began to be referred to simply as Mocha coffee. Until Aden and Hodeida eclipsed it in the 19th century, Al-Makha was the principal port for Yemen's capital Sana'a.

When chocolate first appeared from Western Hemisphere, they found it reminiscent of, or confused it with, the wild and fruity flavors of Yemeni coffee.

In the early 1600's the Dutch were the first Europeans to open a company in the port city of Mocha in Yemen. As sixteenth century sailing ships carried goods from the Arabian Peninsula across the Mediterranean the Italian port of Venice became coffee’s gateway to European markets.

Merchants in Venice and Turin opened the earliest coffee houses, and when Spanish drinking chocolate was first introduced to Turin, it was mixed with coffee and cream into a stimulating novelty called bavareisa.

In Italy, confectioners from the “Sweet Piemonte” region develop the art of combining these culinary treasures, culminating with bicerin (meaning small glass). Outside Italy, caffé latte has become the basis for a drink of one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk.

The ubiquitous caffé mocha, a latte with the addition of chocolate powder or chocolate syrup, only hints at the possibilities of more complex combinations.

Caffé mocha is made by mixing chocolate (either sweetened, ground chocolate or chocolate syrup) with espresso. Steamed milk is then added to the mixture.
History of Coffee Mocha