Reflections 2 Coffee and Tea Time in Ethiopia

I’ve always been a very strongly avowed anti-coffee person. Unless I was really exhausted (finals week, late night followed by an early morning) I haven’t drank coffee regularly since some time in college. I had two houseguest incidences this year, once with a cranky mom and once with an even crankier best friend, who woke to discover the lack of coffee situation in my home. So all the hype surrounding Ethiopian coffee never really excited me. For those that don’t know, coffee was discovered here and Ethiopians take their coffee VERY seriously. 8 months here and my opinion on coffee has certainly changed, and though I still can wake up without the cup and not want to tear anyones head off, I will miss the beverage here.

Unlike in the U.S., coffee isn’t meant to be drunk on the run, but sat and enjoyed. This dates back to the coffee ceremony, which is a beautiful thing to enjoy at a party or holiday. Coffee beans are rosted over a small fire till they are ready to be seeped in water to make the coffee. Popcorn is passed around to pass the time till the coffee is ready. The spell is lovely, and sometimes incense are burned to add to it. Once the beans are roasted and boiled to perfection, cups and passed around and shared, with generous amounts of sugar, but normally no milk. Ethiopian coffee is extremely strong, and a cup usually has me wired for hours. At most coffee ceremonies I’ve had at least two!

Most days are less coffee ceremony and more macchiato, which is a good thing. I can’t really handle the strong taste without some milk, and this treat that the Ethiopians learned from the Italians is really great. I’ve never been to an Ethiopian office where coffee isn’t immediately offered to me. Here at DKT I am often brought it exactly how I like it (lots of milk, lots of sugar) at exactly 10:15 and offered again in the afternoon . That is usually too much for me, which brings me to another delicious, but more underated, Ethiopian hot beverage, tea.

Most people don’t think of tea when they think of Ethiopia, but it is another welcome treat. Warm and spicy, boiled water is also flavored with cinnamon for an added taste. It is a more calming relaxing way to enjoy a beverage with a coworker and friend, and I often opt for that in the weekends, and most afternoons at work. I seem to be a bit of an anamoly here in Ethiopia, most people are either coffee or tea but I like to limit, while not completely avoiding, caffeine.
There is one other hot beverage, known as Shai, which is half coffee, half tea. Ethiopians like mixing things: coke and ambo (a natural sparkling water), spaghetti and injera. I’ve try Shai once and found it made me even more hyper than regular coffee! As I write this a cup of coffee, with warm milk and an amble helping of sugar, is being placed on my desk. I am off to enjoy but promise future houseguests that from now on I should have some coffee waiting for you!