Coffee The Ethiopian Way

[Pheroze]

There is a local Ethiopian restaurant in town run by a super friendly lady from Ethiopia. My son asked to go there on the day before he moved to University (sad times for dad) Anyways, we had coffee in the Ethiopian style. It turns out they flavour a small strong coffee with salt! It is actually really good. The salt just pulls the bitterness out of it. You use just a really tiny amount. I put too much salt in once and...egads, yuck. But, now I have started drinking espresso in that manner because I enjoy the fact it isn't so sweet. Does anyone know how common this style of coffee is in Ethiopia?

 

[CAustin]

Never heard of the salt trick.

 

[Nyati]

Some Arabs use a spice, I believe it´s called cardamon in English.

 

[mdwest]

Does anyone know how common this style of coffee is in Ethiopia?

From what I understand, salt is a bit of a regional thing.. depending on where you are in Ethiopia they may add sugar, salt, or butter.. (although in most places in Addis you can get it any way you like it)..

If you ever transit Addis enroute to any other African destination, there is a restaurant on the back corridor of the airport that serves an excellent cup of Ethiopian coffee and goes through the Ethiopian "Coffee Ceremony" with you.. they serve the coffee with both a small bit of sugar and salt on the side (your choice how you want to make it)..

I used to spend a good bit of time in Addis.. but haven't been there since 2013.. Every time I traveled there I used to bring home a kilo of green Ethiopian beans.. I LOVE Ethiopian coffee.. one of my favorite beans..

 

[peras]

We put one teaspoon of salt with ten scoops of filter coffee.

 

[Bsto270]

Working for a produce wholesaler, we got an oddball sample one year of whole (rather large) stick cinnamon. I tried steeping it in my coffee for a few minutes, and was surprised how good it was. The salt trick is not something I had ever heard of.

 

[ScottG]

I read that on a couple of sites before. It works well.

 

[BCD]

My wife worked on Archeological digs in her early twenties in N.Africa...she learned and still to this day puts salt in real dark coffee when pressed or dripped

 

[Velo Dog]

There is a local Ethiopian restaurant in town run by a super friendly lady from Ethiopia. My son asked to go there on the day before he moved to University (sad times for dad) Anyways, we had coffee in the Ethiopian style. It turns out they flavour a small strong coffee with salt! It is actually really good. The salt just pulls the bitterness out of it. You use just a really tiny amount. I put too much salt in once and...egads, yuck. But, now I have started drinking espresso in that manner because I enjoy the fact it isn't so sweet. Does anyone know how common this style of coffee is in Ethiopia?

Hi Pheroze,

I had heard of this and presumed it is common in Ethiopia but have not tried it (day ain't over yet.)

Don't let Ray B. learn that you enjoy super-stout coffee, he believes it made my wrists go limp.

Signing off now to fire-up my espresso machine and look for my salt shaker.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[edward]

love press coffee.have about 4 different sizes.

 

[Baldi59]

Never heard of the salt trick.

My preference would be a Salt lick with a few Dagga Bulls sampling the wares.

 

[CAustin]

My preference would be a Salt lick with a few Dagga Bulls sampling the wares.

Exactly!

 

[Newboomer]

Now there ya go. A good steak and a hot cup of coffee.