Coffee Culture

"Why don't American's like to have coffee with their friends?"

"We do!"

"No, no! You Americans always get your coffee to go and carry it around in sippy cups like toddlers! That's not how you're supposed to enjoy coffee!"

In this particular part of the Horn of Africa, coffee is more than just a hot drink or a caffeine jolt. It is an essential part of the culture, as you can tell by the previous conversation I had with a taxi driver. If you ask around, there are many stories about how coffee was first discovered here; most storytellers share some version of a shepherd who noticed his goats acting differently after eating coffee plants. I have not quite figured out how coffee plants and hyperactive goats have led to traditional coffee ceremonies, but somehow, it has become embedded in the culture over time.

The traditional coffee ceremony entails many steps! There are no shortcuts, or 30-60 second brewing pods, suggesting that would probably be an insult. I had the privilege of spending an afternoon roasting, brewing, and enjoying coffee with Mia, my language helper. (Our language helpers teach us more than just language and are often the gateway for us to learn more about the culture and our neighborhood-but more on that later!)

Some might say the ceremony begins with lining the floor of the room, house, or patio with grass -but the women know it starts at the market! You must see the quality of coffee beans you want to purchase. You want to get fresh beans that are not too dry and shriveled, and when you pick up a handful, you want them to all be relatively the same size. Most sellers know the quality of the beans they are selling, and there are lots of buying options! If you can only afford the most miniature, cheapest beans, then buy just enough for one pot of coffee for now because even that is better than no coffee!

Once you've purchased your beans, it is time to sort out all the stones from the green coffee beans and wash them clean. Once the beans are clean, they're poured into a traditional roasting pan with holes in the bottom and set atop some hot charcoal or an electric burner. The beans turn from green to reddish-brown and brown to dark brownish-black. You want the beans to all roast evenly by shaking them around often. Once all the beans are relatively the same shade and have started to release their natural oils, you pull them off the fire, sprinkle with some water, so the beans steam, and everyone around knows you are roasting coffee. Now the beans are ready to be ground or pounded into powder. Traditionally this is done with a wooden or metal mortar and pestle. Once smoothed, the powder is poured into a clay coffee pot called a "jebena" and put on hot coals to boil and steep. The coffee is served hot and strong, with lots of sugar in a small ceramic cup. At the same time the coffee is brewing, the server sets up the cups on small saucers and scoops a few spoonfuls of sugar into each cup. Once the coffee has steeped and is ready to pour, each cup is filled to the brim! Coffee can be served with small cookies or freshly popped popcorn. The grounds are usually brewed three times, getting a little weaker with each cup, the third cup bearing a blessing to those who drink it. The joy of the coffee ceremony is in the time it takes to roast, brew and serve three cups of coffee is time well spent visiting with friends.

 

Photo: Freepik.com