The story of coffee goes back to the 13th century, when it came out of Ethiopia, then spread to Egypt and Yemen. It reached the Middle East, Turkey, and Persia during the 16th century, and then Europe during the early 17th, though not without controversy. In Venice, some called it the 'bitter invention of Satan,' but the Pope, upon tasting it, gave it his blessing. By 1652, St. Michael's Alley, the first cafe in London opened its doors, bringing coffee to England, thanks to a Sicilian immigrant, Pasqua Rosée.

Today, the British Museum houses a handbill that may well be the first advertisement for coffee in England. It proves remarkable for a couple of reasons. First, the ad introduced Brits to what's now a staple of the Western diet, and eventually they'd bring it to North America. And, what's more, you can see another instance of the adage that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Advertising is advertising, and then, as now, beverages were sold on their taste and health properties. And, of course, you were encouraged to consume the product not once, but twice a day. You can find a transcription of the text, courtesy of Vintage Ads, below the jump. via BoingBoing

More coffee bonus items can be found here:

This is Coffee!: A 1961 Tribute to Our Favorite Stimulant

Everything You Wanted to Know About Coffee in Three Minutes

Jim Henson’s Violent Wilkins Coffee Commercials (1957-1961)

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