Arabic coffee

Etymology

The word coffee entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch koffie, borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish kahve, in turn borrowed from the Arabic قَهْوَة (ar, ). The word qahwah may have originally referred to the drink's reputation as an appetite suppressant from the word qahiya (). The name qahwah is not used for the berry or plant (the products of the region), which are known in Arabic as bunn. Semitic had a root qhh , which became a natural designation for the beverage. According to this analysis, the feminine form ar (also meaning ) also had the meaning of wine, which was also often dark in color.

History

The earliest credible evidence of coffee drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century (but believed to be much earlier) from Yemen as coffee was in use in Yemen's Sufi monasteries. Sufis used it to keep themselves alert during their nighttime devotions. A translation of Al-Jaziri's manuscript traces the spread of coffee from Arabia Felix (the present day Yemen) northward to Mecca and Medina, and then to the larger cities of Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, and Constantinople. In 1511, it was forbidden for its stimulating effect by conservative, orthodox imams at a theological court in Mecca. However, these bans were to be overturned in 1524 by an order of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan Suleiman I, with Grand Mufti Mehmet Ebussuud el-İmadi issuing a fatwa allowing the consumption of coffee. In Cairo, Egypt, a similar ban was instituted in 1532, and the coffeehouses and warehouses containing coffee beans were sacked.{{cite book |author=J. E. Hanauer | title= Folk-lore of the Holy Land |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/FolkLoreOfTheHolyLand | year= 1907 |chapter=About Coffee | quote=[All] the coffee-houses [were] closed, and their keepers pelted with the sherds of their pots and cups. This was in 1524, but by an order of Selìm I., the decrees of the learned were reversed, the disturbances in Egypt quieted, the drinking of coffee declared perfectly orthodox References

Preparation

Arabic coffee is made from lightly to heavily roasted Arabica beans (165 to) mixed with cardamom, and sometimes flavored with cloves or saffron. It is a traditional beverage in Arab culture and is usually prepared at home or for special occasions. The beans are roasted, ground, brewed, and served in front of guests.

The coffee is boiled but not filtered, producing a strong, concentrated drink. It is generally unsweetened (qahwah saada), though sugar may be added during preparation or serving. To balance the bitterness, it is often accompanied by dates, dried or candied fruit, nuts, or other sweets.

Arabic coffee is served in small, handleless cups called finjān.

Arabian Peninsula

In the Arabian Peninsula, Arabic coffee is typically brewed and served from a pot called a "dallah". It is almost always accompanied by dates and offered as a gesture of hospitality. In restaurants, it may be served by waiters called qahwaji.

Light roasting is common in Saudi Arabia, especially in the Najd and Hejaz regions, giving the coffee a golden or blonde color. Spices such as saffron, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon may be added, with cardamom being the most essential.

In North Arabia, a darker variation known as qahwah shamāliyya (literally "Northern coffee") is prepared by roasting the beans for a longer time.

In Yemen, Arabic coffee is often brewed with the addition of local spice blends called hawaij.

Levant

In the Levant, Arabic coffee is similar to Turkish coffee, but typically flavored with cardamom. It is usually prepared in a long-handled pot known as a rakwa (cezve). It uses dark-roasted or a blend of light and dark coffee beans, ground to a fine powder.**

The level of sweetness is reflected in the terminology used: unsweetened ("sada"), moderately sweetened ("mazbout"), or sweet ("hilwe").

Serving coffee is often ceremonial. The host, or the eldest son, moves clockwise among guests, pouring coffee according to age and status. It is polite to accept three cups, with the last cup traditionally concluded by saying daymen (“always”), wishing the host continued means to serve coffee.

It is often said humorously that a Lebanese person who does not drink coffee risks “losing their nationality.”

In Jordan, black, cardamom-flavored qahwah sādah (often called “welcome coffee”) remains a traditional sign of respect and an important part of hospitality. Serving coffee is central to Jordanian social life and is a customary way to honor guests.

Morocco

While the national drink of Morocco is gunpowder green tea brewed with fresh mint and espresso is very popular, Arabic coffee is also widely consumed, especially on formal occasions. It is often made with the purpose of conducting a business deal and welcoming someone into one's home for the first time, and frequently served at weddings and on important occasions.

Cultivation

Much of the popularization of coffee is due to its cultivation in the Arab world, beginning in what is now Yemen, by Sufi monks in the 15th century. Through thousands of Arabs pilgrimaging to Mecca, the enjoyment and harvesting of coffee, or the "wine of Araby" spread to other Arab countries (e.g. Egypt, Syria) and eventually to a majority of the world through the 16th century.

Coffee, in addition to being essential in the home, became a major part of social life. Coffeehouses, qahwa قَهوة in Modern Standard Arabic, became "Schools of the Wise" as they developed into places of intellectual discussion, in addition to centers of relaxation and comradery.

Coffeehouse

Coffeehouse culture began in the Arab world, and eventually spread to other areas of the world and blended with the local culture. Traditional Arab coffeehouses are places where mostly men meet to socialize over games, coffee, and water pipes (shisha or argille). Depending on where the coffeehouse is, its specialty differs. In Maghreb, green tea is served with mint or coffee is served Arab and/or European style. Arabic coffee, or Turkish coffee, is made in Egypt and the Levant countries. Arabic coffee is a very small amount of dark coffee boiled in a pot and presented in a demitasse cup. Particularly in Egypt, coffee is served mazbuuta, which means the amount of sugar will be "just right", about one teaspoon per cup. However, in the Arabian Peninsula, Arabic coffee is roasted in such a way that the coffee is almost clear. In all of the Arab world, it is traditional for the host to refill the guest's cup until politely signaled that the guest is finished.

Served

Arabic coffee is usually served just a few centiliters at a time. Arabic coffee is served following formal etiquette for the host, the visitor, and the server. The server is required to hold the Dallah with the palm of his right hand positioned at the top, while using the left hand to hold the cup. In accordance with guest etiquette, the cup should be received and returned to the server by using the right hand. Priority is given to the oldest or most significant guest. The guest drinks it and if he wishes, he will gesture to the waiter not to pour any more. Otherwise, the host/waiter will continue to serve another few centilitres at a time until the guest indicates he has had enough. The most common practice is to drink only one cup since serving coffee serves as a ceremonial act of kindness and hospitality. Sometimes people also drink larger volumes during conversations.

Habits

The cups are normally only filled partway, and the habit is to drink three cups. Arabic coffee has a prominent place in traditional Arab holidays and special events such as Ramadan and Eid.

Fortune-telling

Arabic coffee reading (), is similar to tea-leaf reading; the client is asked to consume strong fresh Arabic coffee leaving approximately a teaspoon of liquid in the cup. The cup is then inverted onto a saucer to allowing the residual liquid to drain away and dry up. The reader will then interpret the patterns formed by the thick residue on the inside of the cup looking for symbols and letters.

Funeral

Arabic funerals gather families and extended relatives, who drink bitter and unsweetened coffee and recount the life and characteristics of the deceased. The men and women gather separately, and it has become very fashionable to employ very presentable women whose only job is to serve coffee all day to the women. Male waiters serve the men. Arab Muslims and Christians share this tradition.

Nutrition facts

Arabic coffee, traditionally brewed from lightly roasted Arabica beans and often infused with spices such as cardamom or saffron, is typically served in small quantities (approximately 60–90 ml per serving). In its plain form, Arabic coffee is considered a low-calorie beverage with minimal macronutrient content. A small cup of Arabic coffee has almost no calories or fat.

The exact nutritional values may vary depending on the roast level, brewing method, and whether additives such as sugar or milk are included.

References

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