lunes, 12 de marzo de 2018

A Brief History: Ancient Coffee Traditions of the World

Let us make a swift journey through history to reckon the presence of coffee in traditions that date centuries back!

Traditions are part of the present; they are elements that shape various habits that today's citizens of the world have acquired in their daily lives. Those traditions also extend to the world of caffeine, and that is why today’s That Coffee Roasters blog will bring you some history and old coffee traditions that have positioned this beverage as one of the most consumed around the world.

Ancient coffee traditions you should try

Behind the current coffee culture lies a history filled with traditions and inventions that have captured the attention of consumers and inspired creative ideas and groundbreaking family businesses; get to know all about them with That Coffee Roasters.

The Ethiopian coffee ceremony

A good coffee lover knows that his favorite drink comes from Ethiopia, the birthplace of the Coffea genus. In this country, the most widespread tradition is that of the ancient coffee ceremony in which the beverage is made and served at a ritual table in front of all the spectators. The coffee beans are usually roasted on an iron pan until they acquire a dark color, then they are crushed in a mortar with pestle. Finally, the small bean pieces are boiled with water in a jibuna (coffee pots) to produce the coffee, made mostly with local beans.

In general, the ingredients used to make this type of coffee are water and beans; however, many people add spices such as cardamom and cinnamon in the boiling phase to add flavor.

The Arabic tradition of coffee and majlis

For centuries there has been an Arab tradition that brings family and friends together to spend a pleasant time around specific elements: gahwa (Arabic coffee) and majlis (a place of the house destined to sit and share with others). The UAE has maintained for years this habit that unites two crucial aspects of the Emirati and other Arab societies’ culture: hospitality and heritage.

Regarding hospitality, coffee is a fundamental element of this exhibition of education and culture. Traditionally the coffee is prepared in front of guests and served in cups called finjaan. The tradition states that coffee should be served by a member of the family over the age of 15 (muqahwi), carrying a pot (dallah) in the left hand and three cups on the right. The designated member should serve the coffee starting from the person on the right of the majlis and without skipping any guests. If a religious authority or important person is at the meeting, the muqahwi should serve them coffee first.

As far as heritage is concerned, the majlin is still considered today a space for oral transmission of the cultural heritage that is shared with friends and family. In this space, they talk about their lives and family, and strengthen ties with neighbors and friends. The idea is to share and preserve the relationships and traditions that represent them.

The traditional Irish coffee

Although it is not such an old coffee tradition, Irish coffee is part of the history of coffee and its several presentations. The idea for this particular drink came up in Ireland in the 1940s when chef and bartender Joseph Sheridan served coffee with whiskey to American passengers at the Pan Am flying boats at Foynes. Due to the cold weather, Joseph prepared this mixture with cream topping and served it to diners, who asked him if he had used Brazilian coffee, to which he replied that it was just Irish coffee.

Later, the beverage made of coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream gained a higher reputation when in the 1950s journalist Stanton Delaplane decided to recreate the drink in the United States. Since then, Irish coffee has enjoyed worldwide fame and is recognized as one of the most famous coffee presentations.

As you can see, coffee presents many variations that are related to values, origins, and countries. Every ancient coffee tradition has its characteristic that makes coffee a unique element in each context; do you dare to experience them all? If you do, always keep in mind to use the best coffee you can find, such as that provided by That Coffee Roasters, our family-owned coffee company that has established itself as part of the old coffee traditions that remain.

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