869 Bloor Street W. Tel. 416 535 6615

Ethiopia the origin of Coffee

The story of coffee has its beginnings in Ethiopia, the original home of the coffee plant. Among the many legends that have developed concerning the origin of coffee, one of the most popular account is that of Kaldi, an Abyssinian goatherd, who lived around AD 850. One day he observed his goats behaving in abnormally exuberant manner, skipping, rearing on their hind legs and bleating loudly.

He noticed they were eating the bright red berries that grew on the green bushes nearby. Kaldi tried a few himself, and soon felt a novel sense of elation. He filled his pockets with the berries and ran home to announce his discovery to his wife. 'They are heaven-sent,' she declared. 'You must take them to the Monks in the monastery. 'Kaldi presented the chief Monk with a handful of berries and related his discovery of their miraculous effect.' Devil's work!' exclaimed the monk, and hurled the berries in the fire. Within minutes the monastery filled with the heavenly aroma of roasting beans, and the other monks gathered to investigate. The beans were raked from the fire and crushed to extinguish the embers. The Monk ordered the grains to be placed in the ewer and covered with hot water to preserve their goodness. That night the monks sat up drinking the rich and fragrant brew, and from that day vowed they would drink it daily to keep them awake during their long, nocturnal devotions.

DESSERTS

1. Fruit Salad, small...$4.00.............Large...$8.50

2. Ice-cream (Vanilla or Chocolate)............$3.50

What to Eat

Ethiopian cuisine is simple to prepare. Many of the traditional dishes are stews one-pot-meals, if you wish. A necessary element of Ethiopian cooking is called berbere. It is a red paste made up of a multitude of spices and herbs.

 Berbere must be prepared before venturing into the world of Ethiopian cuisine or it would be like trying to make chili without chili powder, or stock without bouquet garnish. Berbere is an essential ingredient. Another important ingredient is butter but butter that has been flavored with onions, garlic, ginger, and spices. When this prepared butter, called niter kebbeh, melts in your pan, it transports you to a land far away. You will wonder how Ethiopia has kept niter kebbeh a secret from the culinary world! Wat is the traditional Ethiopian dish. Wat means stew. Wat can be prepared with chicken (doro) or beef (siksik). It can also be vegetarian or even contain fish. Traditional bread, called injera, is used in place of utensils. Injera is a thin but spongy flatbread as large as a tabletop. It is made from locally grown teff the smallest grain in existence.

Whole Grains: Teff (Eragrostis)

Teff is an intriguing grain, ancient, minute in size, and packed with nutrition. Teff is believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 and 1000 BC. Teff is high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. It contains no gluten so it is appropriate for those with gluten intolerance.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Teff is well known by Ethiopians for its superior nutritional quality. It contains 11% protein, 80% complex carbohydrate and 3% fat.

It is an excellent source of essential amino acids, especially lysine, the amino acid that is most often deficient in grain foods. Teff contains more lysine than barley, millet, and wheat and slightly less than rice or oats.

Teff is also an excellent source of fiber and iron, and has many times the amount of calcium, potassium and other essential minerals found in an equal amount of other grains. When teff is used to make Injera, a short fermentation process allows the yeast to generate more vitamins. Teff is nearly gluten-free, and is gaining popularity in the whole food and Health food industry in the U.S. as an alternative grain for persons with gluten sensitivity. Teff may also have applications for persons with Celiac Disease.  Teff is now grown in the United States, primarily in Idaho.

Encyclopedia Teff// Teff Injera// About Lalibela

DAILY SOUP