Coffee Around the World: Ethiopia

Coffee is everywhere, but it's never quite the same. In this series, we travel from place to place and discover together how people experience their coffee moment: from morning ritual to social event. This time, we explore how coffee moments happen in Ethiopia. We spoke with Tigist, a 42-year-old homemaker in Addis Ababa.

"For us, coffee isn't a beverage. It's a ceremony. We roast the beans first over charcoal, the aroma fills the entire room. Then we grind them by hand and brew them in a jebena, a clay pot. Incense is burning. Neighbors stop by.

We drink three rounds: abol, tona, and baraka. Each round has its meaning. There's no rush during a coffee ceremony. And that's exactly the point."

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. And they know it. Drinking coffee isn't a habit here, it's a ceremony that can last more than an hour.

The host first roasts the green beans over an open fire, right in front of you. The smell spreads through the entire space. Then the beans are ground finely and brewed in a traditional earthenware pot, the jebena. The coffee is served in small cups without handles, three rounds in a row. Those rounds even have names: abol, tona, and baraka. The third round brings luck, they say.

In between? Popcorn. Sometimes also grass on the floor and incense in the air.

It's the complete opposite of grabbing coffee in a paper cup to go. It's about being present. About the moment.

Want to experience Ethiopian coffee, Gently Untied, yourself? We have it for you. The ceremony, the popcorn, the incense, and a bit more time than usual for your coffee, that part is up to you.

Enjoy your pause.