According to legend, coffee was accidentally discovered in the Middle East over 1,000 years ago. One morning, Kaldi, a goat herder, discovered his herd dancing around a cluster of shrubs with red berries. After tasting the berries, Kaldi began to dance with the goats, and realized the berries were causing the odd behavior.

At that moment, a monk passing by took some of the red berries back to the monastery where he developed a drink from boiling the berries. Because of the beverage, no one in the monastery fell asleep during morning prayers.

Coffee drinking became widespread in the Middle East over the 15th century. The Turks were the first to roast and grind coffee beans.

The popularity of Turkish coffeehouses grew, as did the sophistication of brewing methods. Roasted beans were still crushed and boiled with water, but coffee was now decanted, reheated, and served in ornamental pots with cloves, cinnamon or hazelnuts.

Kahveh kanes were popular coffeehouses filled with revelry and gambling. Coffeehouses in Constantinople were often located in open squares with views of the water and featured regular musical and dramatic performances.

Outraged at the use of their sacrament in such frivolous pursuits, Muslims banned coffeehouses. In the mid-17th century, violators were cudgeled, and repeat offenders were sewn up in leather bags and thrown in the river. But, rulers eventually realized coffeehouses could fill government coffers with tax revenue, and made them legal again.