A coffee prepared in the old way, coarse grounds infused in hot water, served black and bitter or barely sweetened with sugar: the drink that awakened the Enlightenment.

Why this dish? In Leibniz's lifetime, Leipzig — his hometown — became infatuated with coffee: the famous 'Coffe Baum' is among the oldest coffee houses in Germany. This new drink, stimulant for study vigils and fuel for scholarly conversations, fits perfectly with a mind that worked at night.

Here is a novelty from the Orient that greatly stirs our cities: coffee, which is traded in Leipzig in proper houses. I confess that this black and bitter liquor has its merits for one who, like me, steals hours from the night for calculation, for it drives away sleep and sharpens the understanding. We would boil the powder in water, let the grounds settle, then pour into the cup — some add sugar, I gladly do without.

How it was made : Coffee spread through the Holy Roman Empire from the end of the 17th century; Leipzig, a city of fairs and university, opened its coffee houses early (the 'Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum' is attested from that period). It was prepared by decoction or direct infusion of the powder, without modern filters, yielding a strong drink laden with grounds.

The contemporary twist : Prepared in a French press, it is exactly the same gesture as in the 17th century: direct infusion, then separation of the grounds — 'slow coffee' before its time.

Leibniz · Charactorium