While serving the Yemeni brew to my relatives, my mind drifts to the days when I would drink Yemeni coffee in a to-go cup from my favorite local cafe and not my homemade caffeine fix. I often find myself going to Qawah House in Ann Arbor. At the front counter, I place my classic go-to order, and of course, the barista recognizes me as I pay for their infamous iced Yemeni mocha. Qawah House is home to authentic, premium organic coffee made with love and care, as stated on the outside banner of their cafe shop. At times, while I wait for my order to be made, my feet shuffle slowly, making their way by the mural, and my eyes linger across the brown walls, taking in the rich history of coffee. From time to time, Ibrahim Alhasbani, the owner, comes around to each table and checks in with his customers, making sure the service and taste live up to the Qahwah House standards, attesting to “every step, from cultivation to your cup, reflecting our unwavering passion and respect for the craft” (“About ”).

The mural story shines a light on the rich coffee history. Yemeni mocha received its name from the Al-Mokha city port in Yemen. It's often forgotten, but Yemen is one of the many places that have cultivated coffee for many centuries. Yemen is the birthplace of the coffee we now drink that has been roasted, ground, and brewed (Maynard). Another source, the Aran Journal, serves as “... a key entrepôt in the extensive trade networks connecting India, the Red Sea region, the Indian Ocean and the broader Mediterranean sphere” (Mancini). Each cup is filled with a story that lives up to its history. I grew up drinking this drink during holidays and family gatherings. It is bizarre to think of how the coffee grounds on my kitchen counter, waiting for me to brew, have been traded globally. Now it's in many of the drinks I enjoy daily.

Even its name, carries its own unique history “Mokha is usually spelled in the trade as “Mocca” or “Mocha” or “Moka” but in fact the most correct spelling is the one you will never see: “Al-Mahka”, which is the truest to the Arabic spelling” (Owen). It serves as a reminder that the drink moved from country to country and culture to culture. The name slowly moved from its truest Arabic spelling to the "mocha" term we know today!