Ethiopian Hospitality

My roommates and I had the opportunity to go to the home of an Ethiopian lady, Mekedes, that we have friended on Sunday for injera (local Ethiopian food) and a coffee ceremony. 

This ceremony is best experienced but to give a snapshot- as the guests, we observe the beans being washed, rinsed, and roasted over the small fire. I cannot even begin to describe the rich aromas that begin to fill the room.

Then, the beans are ground the good-old fashioned way with mortar and pestle- no automatic coffee grinders allowed.

Mekedes' beautiful daughter, Tsennat, showing us how it's done

 The grounds are then transferred into the buna (“coffee” in Amharic, the local language) pot and given time to brew. This is the freshest coffee you will ever taste… and maybe the strongest as well.

All the while, the host and guests visit and share… as much as possible through the language barrier anyway. It was such a blessing to spend time with Mekedes and her adorable children in their home and we look forward to having them over to our home for dinner soon!