[Ads-l] single-origin, c. 1990 coffee, 1999 chocolate

[Benjamin Barrett]

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_wave_of_coffee) the term “Third Wave” in reference to coffee was coined in 2002 by Trish R. Skeie (http://bit.ly/20gjrBL <http://bit.ly/20gjrBL>). Perhaps Skeie also coined the terms “First Wave” and “Second Wave” as well.

Wikipedia talks about “single-origin” for coffee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-origin_coffee) but not chocolate. Wiktionary and the Oxford Dictionary site are silent on the term. Although there are earlier uses for “single origin” for topics such as the origins of _homo sapiens_, the meaning for coffee and chocolate is not as transparent as such scientific usage.

I have not tried to find earlier hits on blogs or webpages. All dates below are Google-dated.

1. 1967: "The United States Patents Quarterly" (http://bit.ly/1YJnQg5 <http://bit.ly/1YJnQg5>, quote from the search panel) by the Bureau of National Affairshas what appears to be a precursor to this term:

...creams and lotions are closely related products which would readily be assumed to originate with a single origin if sold under similar marks.

2. 1989: "Colloque scientifique international sur le café” (http://bit.ly/1U4m0oP) by Association scientifique internationale du café has, as a graph heading:

COFFEES FROM SINGLE ORIGIN AND BLENDED COFFEES (BREW)

Also, from the search page:

CANONICAL ANALYSIS OF PYROLYSIS-MASS SPECTROMETRY COFFEES FROM SINGLE ORIGIN AND BLENDED….

3. 1990 is the first real usage I see for this term. "Café D’Afrique” by O.I.A.C. (snippet from the search page):

Consumers are selecting special blends or single origin coffee, buying coffee makers, paper filter Systems and brewing their own coffee….

4. 1998 has four book citations:

http://bit.ly/1WGPs7N <http://bit.ly/1WGPs7N>
http://bit.ly/1WH2nHs <http://bit.ly/1WH2nHs>
http://bit.ly/1TpcOct <http://bit.ly/1TpcOct> (from search page: Welcome to the taste- tantalizing coffeeselections o of specialty coffees, including Single-Origin, Blends.)
http://bit.ly/1RdRaFG <http://bit.ly/1RdRaFG>

5. 1999 has the first usage I see for “single-origin” with reference to chocolate. Chef Magazine, Volume 9, by Talcott Communications:

http://bit.ly/1VefONy <http://bit.ly/1VefONy>
Taste the differences and allow your palate to discover the nuances of “blended" cocoa beans versus "single origin" beans.

Benjamin Barrett
Formerly of Seattle, WA
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