Bait Al Gahwa

On our visit to the Qasr Al Hosn area, we managed to sign up to do the Bait Al Gahwa ceremony at the House of Artisans. I was really excited as I hadn't had the opportunity to see it before.
This is the traditional preparation and presentation of Arabic coffee, an Emirati tradition of hospitality and generosity. It is even inscribed on to the UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.

At the House of Artisans they have set up a small majlis looking room where you are invited to sit on the cushions on the floor, while enjoying the ritual and the many steps involved in preparing the perfect cup of gahwa.

First the beans are roasted:

And after they have been cooled on a rush mat, they are ground into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle, and added to a dallah, one of the three traditional pots used in this preparation. Water is added as well as spices, depending on the house preference, we got cardamom.

Lastly, the gahwa maker had put some strands of saffron into the serving dallah, to give the coffee its special colour and taste. Often rosewater, nutmeg and cloves can also be added to the coffee.

Then it was time to taste the coffee, out of the small Arabic cups, finjan.

Such a great experience! I'm so glad this country is so dedicated to reviving and preserving traditional practices. This 'Bait Al Gahwa' ceremony is such a big part of the Emirati identity, and I'm glad visitors can get to experience it like this first hand.