An Ode to Coffee

I openly confess to being a coffee snob. A late arrival to coffee culture, i was only converted by Jamaican Blue Mountain in the 1990s and never looked back. Four years based in Bogota spoilt me rotten.

Sometime between the 5th and 10th centuries, a goat herder called Kafa was tending his flock in the Kaldi region of Ethiopia when he noted the goats going wild whilst eating coffee berries, so tried them himself. He brought some of the berries to a nearby monastery who through the berries into the fire, and then caught a whiff of the luxurious scent.

It was the Turks however in the 15th century who had the idea of brewing coffee and it caught on big time.

Now 4 out of every 5 Americans enjoys at least one cup a day and Starbucks have over 16,000 stores in 49 countries. Coffee it the top export from 12 countries worldwide with 100,000,000 depending on coffee production, and it is the 2nd most valuable commodity after petroleum.

On my African adventures, most of my coffee experiences have been of the vile instant variety, even in countries where they export decent coffee – Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda. Clearly almost all for export only. I never want to see Ricoffee (a powdered blend of chicory and coffee so popular in Southern Africa) ever again.

Here in Ethiopia, coffee is rightly worshipped. Even at the smallest ramshackle street-side coffee-house can rustle up a macchiato for Birr3-4 (about 20-25 US cents).

Who wants to spend two hours being bored shitless by a Japanese tea ceremony when you can experience the Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Ceremonies vary from a one courser (about 20 minutes) to the full three one for almost an hour. Pots are arranged around an alter with a strong bark incense burning in a pot.

Fresh green beans are put into a small pan and tossed and shuffled over an open fire, until toasted brown. They are then freshly ground using a heavy pestle and mortar. It’s then boiled up in coffee-pots and drunk with complete pleasure.

Those indulging in the full three course ceremony –
1st comes the finest – known as Abola
2nd comes Tona – the chaser for the Abola
3rd – a dessert coffee as such – the Baraka

Respect to both coffee and Ethiopia.


Editor’s Note: i find it difficult to sleep in Ethiopia, but it may be just the long bus journeys.