Traditional Ethiopian coffee-- brewin' takes looooong time

[shootingstar]

So I dropped into a new cafe that opened in past 4 months. Brave guy.  Made sure I socially distanced in this airy place from other clients.

Traditional roasted Ethiopian coffee is heated and brought over to you in this ceramic carafe to  pour into tiny capucino like cup.  It took probably half hr. to heat up which luckily it was Sat. today, me not at work.   I asked for cardamon spice to be added (they offered ginger as another flavour).  It was very nice with a botta French pastry which I ate slowly and nearly all of it up, by time coffee was served.  Not as powerfully dark as Greek or Turkish coffee which I find my system can't take the caffeine punch.  This coffee is nearly as strong as a cappucinco...another coffee I also can't take.  I do prefer dark coffee, just not to be whacked in the head.

The owner dropped by to check how it was since he knew I wasn't accustomed to waiting so long for a coffee this way.  He has been here for years..long enough. I'm judging by his style and speech.

Let's put it this way:  I found the wait....so different than going to a Chinese dim sum place or restaurant where there is speed, bordering nearly on rudeness at times. To counter that, it's best to respect the workers who don't get paid well or at least counter with cheerful energy back to them as a customer.  

[jsharr ★]

The darker the roast the less caffeine as roasting burns the oils out of the beans I have been told

[donkpow]

Interesting Wiki article on the Jebena. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebena

I've had coffee made this way. Except mine was made in a tin can, over an open fire, and strained through a sock. 

[Ralphie ★]

1 hour ago, donkpow said:

strained through a sock. 

New or used?  

[donkpow]

14 minutes ago, Philander Seabury said:

New or used?  

Used but thoroughly washed in the creek.

BTW, the article mentions the technique to strain the coffee is through horse hair. I didn't know they had horses in Ethiopia. 

[MickinMD ★]

"Traditional roasted Ethiopian coffee...Not as powerfully dark as Greek or Turkish coffee which I find my system can't take the caffeine punch.  This coffee is nearly as strong as a cappucinco."

Thanks for sharing this.  I looked it up.

Ethiopia is where coffee - at least drinking it - originated.  Supposedly some Ethiopian noticed his goats got so energetic after eating the berries they didn't sleep at night.

I haven't had Ethiopian but I have had coffee in Turkey.  If it was any thicker it would be a paste.  Strong, bitter: they probably serve it in those tiny cups to avoid overdosing people on caffeine.  Peets Coffee roasts one or more Ethiopian beans and some Rwandan, Kenyan and other African beans and sells them for part of the year, usually around $16.99 - $20.99/lb.

I ordered Ethiopian Super Natural whole beans once to grind and drip brew, but didn't like it as much as their Arabian Mocha-Java Blend or Major Dickason's Blend - the latter available in most supermarkets - at least locally to me. I may be a delight to those who like more bitter elements in their coffee than me. I may try one of the three East African coffees listed at the bottom of the ad below.

Last week, Peet's sent out this email:

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[shootingstar]

Given the strength of this coffee and how it was prepared, I did not feel extreme caffeine effects.  I felt something like a just an ordinary dark coffee but more richer in flavour with my cardamon spice which was gently infused into coffee throughout. The way how they serve it for 12 oz. cup is the whole cup is served in ceramic carafe. And you slowly drink out of your cappuccino-sized cup that's elegant.

I always have my coffee with a bit of milk.  I can't drink it straight.

[az_cyclist]

I made 2 business trips to Addis Ababa, to work with Ethiopian Airlines, one in 2001 and the second in 2015. I enjoyed the coffee. As I recall the Ethiopians would put a spoonful or 2 of very course sugar in the coffee cup, then pour in the coffee.

 

[Dottleshead ★]

On 2/27/2021 at 4:23 PM, jsharr said:

The darker the roast the less caffeine as roasting burns the oils out of the beans I have been told

You are correct. 

[az_cyclist]

I was fortunate to travel when I was working, and was able to try different styles of coffee in Canada, South America, Europe, and Africa.  In a general statement, the US and Canada tend to have milder coffee, but the other areas I mentioned prefer a more bold brew. I usually drink coffee black, no sugar, but will add some cream if it is the bike ride coffee stop.  I will drink cappucino more in Europe as the coffee can be more bitter.  Coffee in Brazil was very bitter, so I added milk to it.