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In Honor of International Coffee Day: A Journey in the Footsteps of Coffee through the Western Galilee

Coffee is not just a drink. Coffee is culture ― flavors, aromas, and customs. Turkish coffee is not the same as Bedouin coffee. There is the coffee that reveals the future and there is the coffee with which you start the day. We set out on a journey in search of coffee throughout the Western and Lower Galilee and you are invited to join us.

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First Stop: Recommended Cafes in the Western Galilee

The Western Galilee offers plenty of small, high-quality cafes, with a spectacular view of the Galilee, homemade baked goods (including gluten-free options!), rich menus, and some of them also have galleries of local art.
We have prepared for you a list of recommended cafes for your enjoyment, to sit with friends, enjoy a book, or just stare at the view and enjoy the moment.

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Second Stop: The Bedouin Cafe

Bedouin coffee is not just coffee — behind it stands the entire hospitality culture of the Bedouin people.
So here are some interesting details about the Bedouin coffee ceremony, the meaning behind the hospitality and how to serve the coffee — courtesy of Wefqi Salamna from “Galilean Madafa” and finally — where you can enjoy the Bedouin coffee and experience the preparation ceremony!

  1. In the past, due to the rarity and high price of coffee beans, sheikhs and the rich were the main consumers. And when a guest came to the tribe, he would be hosted in the sheikh’s house, and the preparation and serving of coffee were part of the hospitality. The sound of the grinding of the coffee beans was an invitation to the tribe members to come to the sheikh’s tent and stay. In doing so, the sheikh showed his guests his power and status and won the appreciation of his tribesmen and his guests for his generosity. It is important to remember that the conditions of the desert required cooperation and good hospitality in order to survive the desert and its conditions.
  2. The host drank the first cup to check the quality of the coffee. It is served in a demitasse, which is a small cup used to serve espresso. The second demitasse was served to the most senior guest. As soon as the guest was satisfied with one cup, he had to rattle the cup, thereby announcing his satisfaction. Usually three cups of coffee were served to the guest. A request for a fourth cup of coffee was considered a violation of etiquette!
  3. When an important person visits you, you get up yourself to pour him coffee, not your employee. This act comes to show how much you respect him. This is what the Bedouins said: “We are slaves in our house to our guests” meaning that we are obligated to serve our guests and treat them like noble masters.
  4. There is another symbolism in the ceremony of grinding the coffee. The musical melody that the grinder plays invites guests whether it is an invitation to a wedding or an announcement that there are guests, a death, or danger.
    The grinding was a very important means of communication.

So where can you enjoy delicious Bedouin coffee and traditional Bedouin hospitality and also experience the coffee making ceremony:

Galilean Madafa — Authentic Bedouin Hospitality
  0723941156
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Al E’in Tent — Bedouin Colors, Stories & Flavors on Mount Kammon
  072-3941094
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Gifts for Coffee Lovers

The perfect gifts for true coffee lovers and those interested in coffee roasting will love and appreciate.

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