Ankara Tourism Expo visitors are amazed by Ethiopian coffee

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Turks and foreign visitors were quite happy when they sampled the traditionally brewed Arabica beans.

During the event, the venue featured several booths representing different countries, travel and tour companies as well as antique merchants, which ran from Nov. 14-17.

“It reminds me of Mirra coffee from Turkey,” said Mustafa Incekoy, one of the Turkish visitors to the expo.

Mirra is a exclusive type of coffee prepared by following a special brewing method that is typical to the southeast Anatolian provinces like Mardin and Sanliurfa. As per Incekoy, Mirra coffee is famous for its concentration and strong taste.

Beyza Kazdal, another visitor, was pretty inquisitive to know how Ethiopian coffee use to taste. After trying it, she shared Incekoy’s sentiments about its strength.

Contrasting to the conventional coffee brewing methods, Ethiopian coffee has its own cultural ceremony and special gadgets for brewing it.

Almost 1,000 years back, a goat herder saw his goats hopping and jumping after chewing up some mysterious coffee leaves in Keffa, a remote place in the southeastern highlands of Ethiopia, from where the name of the coffee is derived.

Khadija Ali, one of the presenters at the Ethiopian stand, said it was nice to see Turks excited about the coffee.

“Everybody was interested to taste it,” she said.

Ethiopians in Ankara were part of the program as well. In addition to their visit, they were developing an attractive vibe along with their cultural attire and dances. Majority said they feel like they’re at home in Turkey particularly in such programs.

In Ethiopia, coffee is not only served as a mere drink. Rather, it represents gathering, unity and family. When coffee is served in Ethiopia, people learn what is going on in their surroundings.

Yahya Girma has been living in Turkey for the past three years. He said he longs for his family while drinking coffee.

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