Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-03-21
COFFEE, ARAB STYLE,
VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY WE
PREPARE 1T.

n NaNuA SApSAAShSS ~ -
Function at the House of a Sheik
Who Had Not Been Exposed to For-
eign Influences.
This account of coffee drinking as prac-
ticed by Arabs who have not been ex-
posed to foreign influence is told by a
British naval officer of high rank. The
place was the town of Semail, in the ter
ritory of the sultan of Oman, at the ex-
! treme southeastern corner Of the Arabian
peninsula. Semail lies 120 miles from
Muscat, the capital of Oman, and 30
! miles from the sea. At the time Of this
visit there had been but two other Eu-
ropeans in Semail in all it's history.
IAN Arab town." said the naval officer,
sis scarcely what is suggested by the
English meaning of the word. 1t is more
a collection Of detached houses each sur
! rounded by its own grounds Of from ~
| to 100 acres. AS my travels In Oman
were conducted under the immediate pro-
| lection Of the sultan, and as he had pro-
vided for my special use his own particu-
| lar riding camel ! was received every
where with great respect. My reception
| In the house of one of the principal
| slreiks of Semail took place on the sec
| ond day of my visit to the town, when
paid call upon Mohammed bin Naser
ell Hinawy.
"In accordance with Moslem custom,
| I pronounced the name of God on cross
| ing the threshold, and while being con-
| Quoted to the dvan by my courteous host
| gave the sautation 'Es salaam aleikum,'
| the salutation of peace to the assembled
| company a beautiful carpet of Persian
| work and pillow covered with embroid-
cred silk We're ready for my reception.
Putting off my shoes at the edge of the
carpet, and after short but ceremonious
| dispute with my host as to who should
| sit down first, l was established on the
carpet, with the pillow at my back for
comfortable support.
"Close to the seat of the host and
little to his left was a small raised plat
form of stone on which were placed the
requisite utensils for preparing coffee.
| A small charcoal fire, urged to white
| heat by means of pair Of bellows,
provided the boiling water. On either
| side Of the fire were two large jugs OF
some white metal as well rs several
smaller ones. On shelf near by were
| several zarfs and fngans. The zarf is
tDe lOT tuc SOhtc Nup, anu thtoC
on the shelf were Of various metals. some
of gold beautifully worked, some of sill
| yer, and some even of copper. The fngan
is coffee cup without handle and hold.
| ing about as much as q liqueur glass;
these were Of china and porcelain of diff
| ferent designs and value.
"The coffee maker was n black slave
| said to have come from the frontiers Of
Abyssinia. He seemed to be about %, Of
slight and graceful form, with finely cut
features and well nodded limbs. quite
| black and with hair almost woolly. His
| costume consisted of a waist cloth Of
| colored cotton supported around his waist
| by a piece of cord tucked up on one side,
| and sort OF embroidered waStcoat but
| toned in front but leaving arms and legs
! bare.
at Is not in accordance with desert
| etiquette to introduce for discussion any
| serious matter until after coffee has been
served, so that the conversation consists
almost entirely OF general topics and the
| Interchange Of compliments. While this
very small talk is gravely going on the
slave, having first let down his waist
cloth so that it hangs down below his
| knees, passes around among the company
| with small straw mat in one hand,
mat made of various colored grasses and
about the size Of a dessert plate. In the
other hand he carries Il cylindrical grass
box from which he pours coffee berries
upon the grass mat. All berries which
| are not of the right color he picks out
| and throws away or returns to the box.
| Without any ostentation he manages to
! call the attention of all the guests TO the
fact that the berries he has selected are
all of the best tint.
'"Then, pouring the berries from the
mat into an iron ladle. he roasts them
over the charcoal fire, which he blows to
white heat with the bellows. Coffee
berries in Oman are never roasted to that
dark brown or black color which is com
mon in Europe and America, but are con-
sidered at their best when they take on
rich reddish brown color. Turning the
roasted berries out to cool on the grass
mat Abdullah, for that is the name Of
the slave, sets one of the large metal
jugs on the fire to warm.
The coffee is not ground in machine,
for that would waste all its fine essential
oil, but is pounded up in mortar made
of dark and hard basalt having a deep
| narrow well, into which the berries are
poured. Taking the mortar between his
knees, Abdullah forces the pcste into the
well and down upon the roasted berries,
which he slowly brushes into fine grit
| Of which every particle is about the size
Of small seed pearls or mustard seed.
SPY this time the water in the large
jug on the fire is nearly boiling, Filling
one Of the smaller jugs with the almost
boiling water, he throws in the crushed
coffee and allows it to boil for a short
time, stirring it all the time with stick.
Then, placing on brass tray the best
zarfs and tingans, the slave fills the cups
with the infusion, keeping the grounds in
the jug by means of piece Of bark held
over its spout. Handing the tray to the
most honored guest, he says. 'Semmoo,'
which means Pronounce the name Of
Cod
"Taking the cup from the tray and
looking at his host, the honored guest
pronounces the great formula of Moham-
mechanism in the words 'Blsmillah ur
rahman ur-rahim,' which mean In the
name of God the compassionate and
merciful.' Then the guest sips his coffee
! without sugar or milk. but sometimes
few aromatic seeds or amborgris may be
added If the guest Is of very high rank,
the host takes his own cup immediately
after the guest, but under ordinary cir
cumstances he waits until all the COM