The jebena, a clay kettle with two spouts, is central to coffee ceremonies in Africa and the Middle East. Local blends are often used, and the ceremony is a community-building event with symbolic meanings. Customs vary, but participants usually consume three servings without milk or cream. The ceremony is often accompanied by snacks and is a point of pride for those who continue to perform it.
A coffee ceremony is an age-old tradition in several countries in Africa and the Middle East, from Ethiopia to Palestine. Central to many of these gathering and community-building rites is the jebena, a wide-bottomed clay kettle with two spouts: one for pouring and the other pointing skyward to facilitate the brewing process. Often decorated with tribal symbols, these vessels are used to bring people together to celebrate the unique coffee beans they have created.
Various types of coffee may be used in the jebena, although it is often the local blend, as rejoicing that generosity is a major point of the ceremony. These celebrations are common to many communities in Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea, with dozens of coffees each. In Ethiopia, where coffee is the most profitable commodity, the most popular beans are Yirgacheffe, Harrar and Keffa, all named after the proud regions they come from.
Customs vary, with some ceremonies lasting for hours. In Ethiopia, it begins with washed beans that are poured into a long-handled pan and roasted over a fire, sometimes removing the pan from the flames to spread its aroma under the noses of the other participants. After the aroma has filled all the lungs, the beans are ground and placed in the jebena with water, to take the place of the pan on the fire. After brewing, the coffee is poured through a filter into another container, then poured without soil into the jebena.
To preserve the flavor of the beans, participants in Ethiopian jebena ceremonies usually prefer no milk or cream in their coffee. Sugar, often in generous scoops, is a usual addition, but usually after the coffee has been poured into squat cups called cinis. In different cultures, even having a single portion would not conform to tradition. Indeed, it is usually considered poor form to participate in a coffee ceremony without consuming three servings, each with its own official name and symbolic meaning.
Some cultures burn incense to complement the aromatic effects of the coffee, while others let the coffee speak for itself. The ceremony is not a private affair; the jebena often comes out of the closet when visitors call. When served, it usually accompanies snacks such as cookies or peanuts. Many historians believe that North Africa is the birthplace not only of civilization but also of the coffee bean, which is another point of pride for those who continue to perform coffee ceremonies in 2011.
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