Addis Ababa: in the place where coffee originated

When the slow secretion of oil makes dark brown coffee beans shine, it is time to grind coffee. There is no bean grinder, and wooden pestles and mortar are completely used to mash the coffee beans in the coffee ceremony. In this way, it is destined that the coffee powder will not be too delicate and looks similar to the "medium grinding" degree of the bean grinder. Such a fine powder is just right for the next step of brewing coffee. On the charcoal fire, the water in the pottery pot boiled and smoked, and Jenna poured the coffee powder into the pot. This pottery pot is very simple and has no structural mystery. After waiting for a while, she poured the coffee into a large glass cup and poured it back into the clay pot, three or four times. I am actually a little confused about this process, because the uncontrollable size of charcoal fire and the process of repeated dumping will wear out the aroma of coffee. Jenna stressed that this link should have a good control of time. The allocation of specific time depends entirely on experience. Since childhood, she has seen her mother to preside over the coffee ceremony at home. "every day after school, I will smell coffee and frankincense when I come to my house. It makes me feel warm, because it means that my mother is at home, waiting for me. "

When the dregs precipitate a little, the coffee can be divided. First of all, it is necessary to bring coffee to the oldest male elder in the family, not only as a sign of respect, but also because the coffee first baked has the strongest flavor and is not suitable for women and children. Coffee should be served in three rounds, each with no new coffee powder, just water. If the first round is likened to espresso (Espresso), the last round is like American coffee (Americano) diluted with water, and children who are not very young at home can participate. The snacks that go with coffee are popcorn and fried wheat.

"if Ethiopians invite you to a coffee ceremony, you must not refuse, otherwise it will be a serious social mistake." A local Chinese friend told me. Once he went to the countryside for an inspection. Before he left, an old man in the village offered to invite him to his home to participate in the coffee ceremony. Thinking that he had an itinerary to hurry after, he told the translator that he wanted to decline politely. Unexpectedly, the translator told him directly that such an invitation must be accepted. Coffee ceremony is a kind of high-standard etiquette for hospitality, and it is also an activity when relatives and friends get together. It is said that it also has the function of resolving conflicts. In short, the core of the coffee ceremony is to gather human feelings, not just for that drink.

In Ethiopian tradition, coffee ceremonies take place at home three times a day, after breakfast, lunch and dinner. The pace of modern life requires that the frequency has been reduced to once a day. There is a local proverb "Coffee is bread". It still takes too much time to brew coffee at home, so people might as well go to the street to buy it. This is particularly evident in some small towns outside the capital. When I visited the ancient cities of the three historic centers of northern Ethiopia, I often saw women selling coffee with pottery pots on charcoal stoves and rows of small ceramic bowls. People often choose a coffee stand nearby to have a cup or two and have a few pleasantries with the hostess. Such a scene is somewhat similar to the scene of selling large bowls of tea on the streets of Beijing in the early 1990s, characterized by cordial and casual. For example, the big bowl of tea uses "high end". The coffee beans selected by this coffee stand are also mixed with some "defective beans", but the taste is always familiar.