Coffee Ceremony, Gälawdios, Amhara, Ethiopia, July 2009

Coffee Ceremony #1, Gälawdios, Amhara, Ethiopia, July 2009

The tradional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, always performed by women, starts with the roasting of green beans in a pan, somewhat like a wok. When they darken, they are brought around to the guests, the share the fragrant smoke. 

Coffee Ceremony #2, Gälawdios, Amhara, Ethiopia, July 2009

The roasted beans are then pounded by hand in a pestle, often using rebar or a piece of an axle, which people have found to be convenient and effective replacements to traditional materials. 

The ground coffee is poured into a tall-necked pot and boiled for ten minutes. The resulting thick, dark coffee is traditionally sweetened with three small spoonfuls of sugar, and guests are expected to drink three cups, the third being considered lucky (you can usually get away with fewer cups, if time is short).