10 facts about Arabic coffee: how many of them do you know?

10 фактів про арабську каву Interesting facts

How to greet guests, what utensils to use, and who should be the first to receive a fragrant drink are all elements of an important ceremony that every Easterner knows by heart
While for us coffee is, by and large, just an invigorating drink, for an Arab it is a whole world of subtle rituals and centuries-old traditions. How to greet guests, what utensils to use, and who to be the first to give the aromatic drink to are all elements of an important ceremony that every Easterner knows by heart. We will learn it too: The Qatar National Tourism Board has revealed 10 unknown facts about Arabic kahweh coffee.

  1. Goats took part in the discovery of coffee. According to legend, the shepherd Kaldi once noticed that goats eat certain beans, which makes them more energetic (which he hardly liked, given the specifics of his work). This led to the discovery of coffee beans, which were used to make an energy-boosting drink.
  2. It is considered extremely impolite to refuse a cup of Arabic coffee offered by a Qatari. This may indicate that the guest has other reasons for the visit besides socializing.
  3. Coffee is always served in a traditional coffee pot called a dalla, and poured into a finjan, a thin cup that the guest holds in his right hand.
  4. You should drink coffee while holding the cup in your right hand. At the same time, the cup is never poured to the top – this is considered an insult, a hint that the guest is not welcome here.
  5. More than coffee. Arabic coffee is boiled, filtered, and then often infused with cardamom. The strength and shade can vary, sometimes saffron is added to the coffee to give it a lighter, golden color. Cloves and cinnamon are also sometimes added for additional flavor: Arabs love these spices.
  6. Enough coffee? This must be demonstrated. If the guest has finished his coffee and doesn’t want any more, he should shake the finjan up and down (it’s funny that in Ukraine such a gesture would rather mean asking for more). Otherwise, the hosts will continue to pour coffee, because drinking three cups or even more is a common thing in Qatar.
  7. Age matters. The youngest person present at the meeting (15 years and older) will serve coffee. At the same time, it is not customary for him to engage in conversations with those present.
  8. From right to left. Coffee is always served starting with the guest on the right, except when a particularly important guest is present. In this case, the first coffee will be poured to him.
  9. Coffee is serious! Last year, Qatar hosted the first coffee championship among baristas, where the country’s best baristas competed for the title of champion in the art of latte making and for a unique chance to study at the prestigious MUMAC Academy in Italy.
  10. Dates and coffee are a perfect combination. Arabs don’t think of putting sugar in their coffee; instead, they often prefer to drink it with something sweet to balance out the tart taste of the drink.

Arab coffee

The Qataris’ love for the invigorating drink is so strong that new coffee shops appear here almost every week. For example, in the capital Doha, there is almost certainly a coffee shop every 200 meters.

The strangest religions in the world

Would you like to enjoy a refreshing drink at the 50-story-high Torch Hotel while admiring the view of the Arabian Sea coastline, relaxing after a walk through the Museum of Islamic Art, or sitting in a coffee shop in the Souk Waqif market? Qatar is ready to offer its dear guests all this and more.

I think it’s time to go to Qatar!

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