By Jane M Bell
When exactly the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony began is still somewhat of a mystery. However, the traditional, elaborate ceremony can still be found taking place even today. The ceremony is much more that just a celebration of coffee. The entire ceremony can last an hour or more among beloved friends and guests of great honor.
The ceremony actually begins long before the guests arrive. The coffee beans used in this tradition are actually grown from the hosts own coffee trees. He will then sun-dry and remove the husks of the coffee beans by hand. The hostess, during the ceremony, will then wash the green coffee beans to remove the tough skin that encases the two beans from each coffee cherry.
The actual ceremony begins by collecting special clay pots used just for this ceremony. The pots are filled with water and warmed by placing them on hot coals from the fire. While the pots warm, the host and guests sit around the fire and converse with each other. The hostess then sprinkles the fire with frankincense, filling the chamber with essence.
The coffee beans are then roasted over the fire on a flat iron griddle. The beans are stirred gently by the hostess as the beans roast. The home grown beans are roasted to a cinnamon brown color. The audible “first pop” then signals the end of the roasting process.
Once roasted, the coffee beans are ground with a pestle and mortar into an extremely fine powder. The coffee powder is blended with cardamom and cinnamon and placed in a clay pot of boiling hot water. The intoxicating aromas of frankincense, coffee, cardamom and cinnamon now fill the room as the coffee brews. The unfiltered coffee is then poured into a 3 oz sized handless vessel and a little sugar is added to the cups.
The majority of the coffee grounds, cardamom, and cinnamon settle to the bottom of the clay brewing pot. As the coffee is enjoyed, the hostess adds more boiling water to the sediment and brews up another round of coffee. This process is repeated once more to complete the coffee ceremony. The honored guests in great appreciation thank their host and hostess and depart.
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