In the cradle of coffee – Ethiopia
In today’s Ethiopia, the history of coffee began in the first place. And whoever brings some time to the article will understand where my website gets its name from.
- The shepherd Kaldi from Kaffa in the land of Abyssinia noticed that his goats did not want to sleep at night, and went to the cause.
- Monks found that the goats nibbled during the day on the yellow and red cherries of a green shrub – the coffee shrub.
- The monks prepared an infusion of the cherries and were thus able to watch, pray or have lively conversations at night.
- It was still a long way to the roasted coffee.
- Coffee was mentioned here as early as the 9th century.
- From Ethiopia, the coffee was probably brought by slave traders to Arabia in the 11th or 14th century.
- The golden age of coffee was brought to an abrupt end by the 1974 revolution.
- In the next 17 years of Communist rule, the coffee sector came to a virtual standstill.
- Due to the liberalized market and increased private-sector activity, the coffee trade regained momentum in the 1990s.
- In total, about 15 million people today live from coffee cultivation in Ethiopia.
- Most sun-dried Ethiopian coffees come from the mountainous regions east of the capital Addis Ababa and are called Harrar.
- Most of the washed coffee comes from the highlands to the south and west of Adis Ababa – the best known are Yirgacheffe, Sidamo and Limu.
- While the dry-processed coffees from Ethiopia taste mysterious and ambiguous, the best washed coffees in the country are simply elegant: their aroma is light, high-clay, fruity with lemon and floral tones.
☕ Traditional Preparation
Jebena
The Jebena is a bell-shaped 20 cm clay pot with a long thin neck and round bottom. This helps to avoid the froth of the coffee by distributing the steam bubbles more evenly. That the Jebena does not tip over, it is placed on a ring of straw.
The Coffee Ceremony Buna
- Usually takes place with friends, neighbors or relatives and strengthens the community feeling.
- Traditionally, the fresh green coffee beans are washed by women, rubbed dry and then roasted in a flat metal tray on glowing charcoal and then ground with a mortar.
- The water is now boiled in the Jebena.
- Then the coffee powder is put into the pot and boiled. Depending on the region spices such as cloves, a pinch of salt or milk are also boiled up.
- Then the coffee is poured into small porcelain cups in a thin golden stream of about 30 cm in height and drunk with lots of sugar.
- For this, freshly roasted grains, chickpeas or popcorn are served.
- While all guests enjoy their first coffee, the hostess cooks up the second brew, where worries and problems are discussed.
- The last brew is the third and serves the blessing. In many parts of Ethiopia, the ritual takes place in the morning, at noon and in the evening.
Coffee