Photos by Nadine Mcnulty, Coffee ceremony in Addis Ababa
I enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, usually brewed in a stove top espresso maker with a dash of warm almond milk. Sometimes in the afternoon I will reach for a second, sweeter cup, adding some maple syrup or honey. We buy our fair trade organic beans from Cherry Bomb on Roncesvalles.
While I was in Ethiopia I was invited to several coffee ceremony’s. The coffee ceremony is an integral part of the social and cultural life in Ethiopia. The beans are roasted, ground and brewed by a young woman in traditional dress. Coffee is taken with plenty of sugar (or in the countryside, salt) but no milk. Often it is complemented by a traditional snack food, such as popcorn.
If you want to experience it for yourself I recommend Lalibela in Toronto just west of Ossinigton on Bloor. Ask for the ceremony when you arrive, good things take time.
