In Honor of International Coffee Day: A Coffee Journey Through the Western & Lower Galilee

Do you want to experience roasting quality coffee under the guidance of a master in everything related to coffee? Or try grinding coffee in the authentic Bedouin tradition? Sign up for one of the workshops (or more). Enjoyment guaranteed!

Authentic Bedouin Hospitality — Coffee Workshop & Traditional Kosher Meal

Friday, October 18, 10 am – 2 pm, Kamanneh

Price: 180 NIS per adult, 130 NIS per child, including tour, lecture, Bedouin coffee workshop, and traditional kosher meal.

Register Here

 

An In-Depth Coffee Journey: Aromatic Experience at the Ishu Cafe

Friday, October 18 & 25, 11 am – 1 pm, Eshhar

Price: 150 NIS per person, which includes a comprehensive coffee workshop, diverse coffee tastings, and explanations about the world of coffee.

Register Here

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.

Full List

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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Finally, a bonus for lovers of quality coffee and those interested in the field of coffee! We asked Genadi Kozakevich, the owner of the Ishu Cafe Roasting House, and an expert in everything related to coffee, five questions. These were his answers:

1. What is the most surprising fact you have discovered about coffee?
I don’t know if it’s surprising, but you can make coffee from not only coffee beans. At the beginning of coffee’s journey, coffee cherries were used to make a kind of compote. Even now, a drink can be made from the dried peel of coffee cherries (called cascara in South America, Geshir in Yemen, and Khosra in Ethiopia), coffee flowers that only bloom for a day or two make a fragrant and delicate infusion similar to jasmine tea. The green leaves of the coffee beans are used to make a drink in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Sudan, Papua New Guinea, and in recent years also in Western countries thanks to the many antioxidants it contains.

2. Is it possible to roast homemade coffee at home?
It is possible to brew coffee at home in a pan or pot, but it is better to use special utensils. The most effective device for this purpose was invented in Korea several years ago. It is made of clay, gives good results, and fresh and tasty coffee for those coffee lovers looking for challenges.

3. What food goes best with coffee?
Coffee is excellent firstly as a drink on its own and enjoyable even without accompaniment — like good wine, quality tea, and aged cognac. Milk and spices are old companions of coffee all over the world and of course a delicious patisserie will enhance the experience.

4. What is your favorite type of coffee?
In recent years, the leading coffee variety in all growing countries is the Gesha variety, which originates from Ethiopia and its best results are obtained in Panama, Colombia, and Central American countries. In addition to this variety, I like types of coffee that have undergone special processing — without oxygen, drying with floatation, fermentation with fruit, aging in barrels.

5. Give us a tip for identifying quality coffee in a cafe.
Good coffee in a cafe depends on several factors — the coffee itself (variety, blend), the type of coffee roast (medium, light or dark) and of course the roasting date (best up to two months maximum from the time of roasting). Another important factor is well-maintained, calibrated and clean equipment. And the most important factor — is the human factor — the barista!

And our recommendation to you.
Genadi conducts workshops for coffee lovers at his home in the village of Eshhar — tastings, secrets, history, experience in coffee production. Each workshop is an experience in itself. Highly recommended!

0723971661