Traditional Arabic Coffee Preparation and Service
Similar to espresso in strength, Arabic coffee differs in flavor and aroma. The flavor varies slightly depending on which spices are added, like cardamom (most commonly used) or ginger. It is served in a demi tasse or "finjan."
Generosity and hospitality have always been of utmost importance to an Arab host. The Al Murrah bedouins of the Saudi Arabian desert shared that same tradition, according to one ethnographic researcher. Drinking weak coffee throughout the day, they make a fresh pot of coffee whenever a guest arrives.
The coffee beans are roasted in a light skillet and then ground in a brass mortar. The grinding of the beans is a signal of welcome. While grinding, the host beats the side of the mortar, producing a loud ringing that invites anyone nearby to stop in for fresh coffee. The host pours the ground beans into a brass coffee pot. He pours boiling water into the pot and adds a handful of crushed cardamom beans.
Holding a stack of cups in his right hand and the coffee pot in his left, the host pours a small amount of coffee to taste himself, to ensure (and show his guests) that it is suitable. After determining so, he pours coffee for the primary guest, then serves the other guests. After each guest is served, he pours a cup for himself and joins them.
In most modern Arab homes, the mortar has been replaced by an electric coffee grinder. Coffee beans can also be bought already ground. However, the ritual of coffee serving is still carried out with immense care, and is still a great gesture of welcoming.
At special occasions, or even just during visits from neighbors, coffee is very much a part of socializing. Upon finishing a cup of coffee, the guests usually return the kind gesture from their host by saying the following kind words: "fi sehtuk" ("to your health", said to a male, or "fi sehtik" to a female), or "fil afrahh" ("to your happiness").
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