The rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans fills the air at Salam Cafe on the first Saturday of every month. At the cafe in the heart of Germantown, an ancient tradition comes to life through "Buna," the Ethiopian coffee ceremony that transforms a simple beverage into an experience of connection and hospitality.
On March 1, from noon until 1 p.m., visitors come together for a ritual when green coffee is roasted, brewed, and transformed. Guests witness the process that turns fragrant beans into rich, bold coffee and share the drink while connecting with the beauty of tradition. The event is about more than t than a drink. It’s a celebration of culture.
According to bunnaethiopia.net, the roasting of the coffee beans is done in a flat pan over a tiny charcoal stove, or a gas stove with the rich, nutty smell mingling with the aroma of frankincense and myrrh that is always burned during the ceremony. The coffee beans are then washed on the heated pan and the husks are shaken away. When the coffee beans have turned black and shining and the aromatic oil is coaxed out of them, they are passed around the room for people to smell and then are ground by pestle and mortar (or coffee grinder).
The ground coffee is then mixed with spices and poured into an ornate clay pot known as "jebena." After brewing, the coffee is served in tiny cups called “cini.”
Salam Cafe is at 5532 Greene St. in Germantown. For information, visit germantownunitedcdc.org/event and alifamilyrestaurants.com.
