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Author Insight
drinking coffee is an Arabic tradition
Arabic coffee is called gahwa, and drinking coffee is part of the Bedouin tradition of hospitality. I love coffee and often refer to myself as a coffee-aholic. Arabic coffee was usually served in the desert with Saudi friends. First the beans were roasted, then crushed. Spices, as cardamom clove, nutmeg, and bits of saffron were added. The coffee was poured back and forth between pots until the host decided the light blonde roast was ready to drink. Served in small cups, the gahwa was smooth and had an aroma depending upon what spices were used. To me it was the best coffee I have ever had.
Book Excerpt
The Bystander
Amy tried to remember what she knew about the gahwa, the traditional Arabic coffee. One didn’t just pour a cup and drink it. There was something about the server holding the coffee pot, the dallah, with the left hand and offering the cup with his right. True to Arabic tradition, Hassa poured with her left hand.
Amy slowly sipped her coffee. “What’s in this coffee?” she asked.
“They strain the grounds, reheat them, and add the spice cardamom. I can tell you like it.”
“Hassa, you know I drink coffee all the time. This is different than Western coffee, but I love it.
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