BAHRAIN STORIES -Coffee Houses of the Persian Gulf

A strong flavored cup of coffee seems to bring out a feeling of camaraderie, a need for togetherness and warmth. The flavor and aroma of coffee captures these sentiments -rating high in people’s daily schedules.  A coffee break brings a satisfying lull to a busy day, a relaxing chance to just sit and sip. I have noticed that even the smallest commercial hub will have an area with tables and chairs where people can meet and enjoy a cup of java.

Coffee's ancestry is broadly disputed, and akin to fine wines, it is masked in mysterious legends and controversy. Many versions on how this amazing concoction came to be have been explored in the recent past.

The following attracts me the most.

Apparently coffee is over a century old, and had its origins in the Ethiopian highlands.  Word of mouth accounts suggest that a shepherd and his goats came upon some aromatic dark red berries, which after being sniffed and chewed gave him and his herd a sense of euphoria. Shortly after that fortuitous event, they found themselves coming back to the same spot everyday --for the berries and the unexplained feeling of well-being.

Reports spread to the local monastery, where resident monks promptly experimenting with the reddish kernels, found that by either chewing or steeping them into a beverage, allowed them to remain alert late into the night as they pursued their studies and prayers.

In the vicinity of Middle Eastern souqs, the wafting aroma of coffee permeates the air as people dash about their business. The many coffee houses that line the urban sidewalks and alleyways teem with activity as recently brewed coffee beans manipulate consumers with their tangy and enticing persuasion. 

A small number of traditional open air coffee houses still exist along the Corniche of Manama’s old town and other cities in the Middle East catering to shisha smokers (Arabic water pipe), and an older generation of backgammon and domino-playing coffee drinkers. Lovely views of green-blue waters along the Arabian Gulf complete the picture. Traditional coffee houses and shisha go hand in hand, both being Bahraini institutions unchanged for years and thriving throughout the island. They are part of Manama’s social scene, an integral element in the local agenda. However, many have been somewhat eclipsed by the assortment of stylish cafes that cater to younger, more sophisticated residents. As tradition dictates, coffee houses are packed with smoke, coffee drinking and socializing.  These assembly spaces represent a familiar environment conducive to conversation and the exchange of ideas; a kind of forum, acting as a channel for heightened reflection and creativity. Rustic wooden benches, board games and colorful striped cushions complete the scene.

Contemporary coffee houses are not simple affairs anymore.  Apart from the newer, more popular franchised institutions, Bahrain is host to many new chic and trendy shops. Some are part of the large shopping complexes, while many others are independent, springing up in neighborhoods and villages all over the Middle East; a clear indication of their financial success. These -new generation lounges - boast plush sitting arrangements, lovely indoor plants, water fountains, and antiques.

The International Coffee Association (ICA) claims that from its origins in Ethiopia, coffee bean cultivation spread throughout Northern Africa and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula. On its way to Turkey the coffee beans began to be roasted over open fire pits, then crushed and boiled in sugary water, resulting in a heavy, syrupy concoction.  

Dutch traders transported the coffee plants from Ethiopia to their colonies in Indonesia --the highlands of Java and Sumatra. Once there, and years after successful cultivation, the coffee business made its way to Italy, Holland and the rest of Europe where the dark concoction attracted merchants, and scholars alike.

Because of its euphoric producing effects, the brew received unsympathetic scorn from the Catholic Church --to no avail however, as during the 16th century, coffee became the preferred infusion of aristocrats and intellectuals.

As European settlers crossed the north and South Atlantic Ocean towards the Americas, the coffee rage was in full swing.  From Saint Maarten and Surinam (both Dutch territories), coffee plantations expanded north and west to Central America and Colombia, and south towards Brazil, where they became major economic assets.

Most of the world’s coffee comes from areas sharing similar ideal conditions, requiring exposure to temperature extremes, altitudes upwards of a thousand meters, hot sun, copious rain, and cool nights, thus producing bursting, flavorful bodied coffee beans.

The ICA has identified over 25 major varieties of coffee plants, although our consumer markets are familiar with just two: arabica and robusta beans. Experts say that seventy per cent of all coffee exports come from the Brazilian arabica bean, while robusta coffee beans are grown in West and Central Africa, and across Asia. The latter is mostly used in blends, while the arabica is the only one drunk in its full strength, unblended.  

The fragrant arabica bean was introduced in Kenya early in the 20th century becoming the country's prime foreign exchange revenue.

Coffee growers claim that today, coffee is the world's most popular beverage after water, with over 400 billion cups consumed annually.

Apparently, the very first coffee houses originated in Mecca during the 15th century, where they were called 'qahveh khaneh'. These had originally been spiritual and political meeting places soon becoming social areas for singing, exchanging news, story-telling and gossip. Coffee houses in the Middle East were in reality, the forerunners of the European café societies which developed in Paris, and Vienna becoming known as ‘enlightened’ meeting places for intellectuals, and gossip mongers.

In contemporary times our delight in coffee houses comes from their convivial, lively surroundings and a relatively inexpensive and stimulating beverage.

We celebrate and find contentment in a well-known, time-tested tradition that has endured through generations and people of different ethnic backgrounds.

I was recently in one of Cairo’s popular coffee alcoves -- a combination café, art-house,

scrap collection, a veil of smoke in the air, people chatting -- marveling at the uniformity and continuity sustained through the years.

 Poles apart from olden times, when only men gathered to discuss the changing events on the political front, coffee houses have now become common meeting places for loud female students, housewives relaxing after a day of shopping, girlfriends on their lunch breaks, and business colleagues after a day’s work.

Arab women have joined the coffee house culture becoming regular customers, occasionally smoking, seeking comfortable seats and benefiting from friendly social banter. Coffee’s reviving compounds contain acceptable stimulants giving zest to the rest of the day, or night.  Much as in olden days, people enjoy taking a break from the day’s activities to enjoy a cup of coffee, engage in dialogue and perhaps listen to music, read or talk on their cell phones. The many choices offered at area establishments transcend those of a simple coffee shop.

If you feel like staying home but want to prepare an exceptional cup of coffee, two essentials are required: the finest quality coffee beans you can afford, and that these are freshly roasted. Roasted coffee is an extremely perishable product; it must be stored in the freezer so that it retains its freshness and original flavor.  A coffee maker and an inexpensive grinder are basic; grind as much coffee as is needed, and measure amounts carefully, depending on how many servings are required. Remember to start with room temperature filtered, spring or bottled water for the best cup.                                          

We have certainly come a long way from the days of regular or decaf!   We now have lattes, cappuccinos, coffee has now gone gourmet! Almond amaretto, mocha, French vanilla and hazelnut, caramel - just to name a few – words that have crossed into our coffee world.  If you are worried about high blood pressure or weight control, you can now order or buy your coffee in a decaffeinated version, (without deprivation of its flavor) and use low fat, rice or soy milk.  In some countries, coffee shops are including soy, almond, walnut and barley milk as alternatives to dairy. Hence, what better entertainment after a hard day’s labor or a few hours of shopping than to stretch in a comfy chair with a cup of java in hand, watching the world go by.  Go ahead, sip it slowly, and inhale the fragrance of those historic coffee beans.