[ad_1]
It dates back to 15th century, coffee possibly originated in Ethiopia. With some notable myths tracing its discovery and consumption to the Horn of Africa nation, it can be said with confidence that its cultivation and making are intertwined with some centuries-old African customs and traditions.
Popular legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi found the coffee plant after noticing that the behavior of his herd had changed when they ate coffee cherries.
A curious Kaldi then brought the berries to the monastery and burned them in an attempt to get rid of the cause of the goats’ nervous behavior and exorcise the fruit that he and others, including monks, believed to be evil.
The smell of roasted berries was what it took to make the monks change their minds about the fruits. The first attempt to consume coffee was not as we know it now. The monks prepared the berries with water and ate them before drinking the liquid.
Arab traders sent some of the berries to their exploits because coffee, as we know it now, was first brewed in Turkey. Later it spread to Europe and now there are so many coffee lovers around the world.
According to the International Coffee Organization, Ethiopia stands out among other African countries for having a strong culture of national coffee consumption because other coffee producing countries are not as big in consumption as Ethiopians.
the damn rebellion or the traditional ritual of drinking coffee is not for anyone in a hurry. It may take about an hour because the coffee undergoes certain processes that are part of the communal bonding time.
The traditional ceremony of making coffee or buna is a community-oriented ritual. It is performed by women generally dressed in traditional garb who first wash the coffee beans before roasting them over hot coals until they are burned and blackened.
Of course, while this is happening, there is another ritual of burning incense or sandalwood and the smell merges pleasantly with the aroma of coffee beans.
The charred beans are then ground manually in a mortar and then mixed with water in a black clay jug or jebena. The jebena is then placed over the fire to prepare it until the steam comes out of the jebena peak.
Dark, bitter coffee is poured into small glasses, mostly without handles to the brim, not enough to spill, but very hot. Coffee can be drunk raw, but some locals mix it with sugar, salt, or butter. Some also add t’ena adam, a local herb rue that gives coffee a citrus flavor. Popcorn is served as a side.
Nothing beats the community congregation and the strong culture behind damn rebellion. Visitors are always treated with it because it is a sign of hospitality. It’s a conversation starter between friends and family and a great way for them to catch up or reconnect.
Traditionally, according to Habesha culture, the elders present at the ceremony are always served first and coffee is drunk three times. By the third cup, all pending discussions and conversations would have taken place.
The first cup known as tree it is the strongest infusion. Tshe it’s a smoother brew and the final cup, berekha or blessing, is the most important of the three because of the meaning attributed to it.
It is not uncommon to find tents or cafes on the corners with the buna installed, however the authentic experiences are mostly those made at home.
Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in sub-Saharan Africa and the fifth largest coffee-producing country in the world, largely thanks to its high-altitude cultivation status. Coffee recently accounted for about 60 percent of Ethiopia’s foreign exchange earnings.
There are no big coffee franchises in Ethiopia like the West, but their style of coffee shops is gradually gaining popularity among millennials, with macchiato seeping into Ethiopian coffee culture.
[ad_2]
