Links
http://food.yahoo.com/blog/continentalchef/3640...
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, so as you can imagine there are numerous rituals built around its preparation and service. Most intriguing was the way coffee, known as bunna, is served in Guarage, the region my girlfriend is from. First, the coffee beans are roasted, and guests are given a whiff to see how nice they smell. Then the beans are brewed and poured into an espresso-sized cup. Then, instead of topping it off with milk, a dollop of spiced butter is stirred in. It sounds weird to us, but my Ethiopian friends thought it was just as weird to have a latte loaded with milk and sugar.I must admit the first time I tried the coffee it seemed weird to me, but I was trying to make a good impression on my girlfriend's family, so I pretended to like it. The second time, I liked it a little more, and after the third time, I started to crave it. The flavor was so different from the coffee I'm used to, with delicate spices like ginger and cardamom, and a richer, fuller mouth-feel. Coffee is now grown in many regions of the world, and I'm sure that all regions have their own unique customs and rituals for its preparation. I'd love to hear from readers -- what's the most unusual way you've ever had coffee, and how do you like it best?