Ethiopian Coffee

From Kigali in Rwanda, we flew to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to explore opportunities for service-learning.  The day we arrived happened to be January 7, Christmas Day for Ethiopia.  Our meetings had to be scheduled on the day after Christmas.  That gave us an opportunity to try Ethiopian coffee.  Ethiopia is believed to be where coffee drinking originated.  And they do it distinctively.  The young lady started by roasting some coffee beans on the coal fire.  

Then she stuffed lots, and I really mean lots, of ground coffee beans into a long-necked pot.  Then she set it directly on top of the burning coals. 

She then sprinkled frankincense on some burning coal.  I think it was frankincense or some similar incense - it smells exactly like the incense used in the Catholic mass that I attended.   

The coffee that she served was almost pitch black.  But it tasted very good.  I tried Ethiopian coffee a few more times since then, in different environments, and it was always good.  

Ethiopia is distinctive, and not just because of the coffee.