Khaleeji Hospitality: Coffee & Dates
Chai Karak
Identity
The Arabian Peninsula, also known as the Arab Gulf or Khaleej, is a key region in Southwest Asia. It is bordered by East Africa, Iran, the Syrian Desert, the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Persian Gulf, also called the Arab Gulf. The region includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Historically, travel relied on boats and camels, often called ships of the desert. The oil boom in the 20th century and the digital revolution in the 21st century have made the Gulf one of the most advanced and globalized regions in the world.
Skills
Traditional Gulf-style Arabic coffee depends on roast, blend, and spices, along with technique, quality, and time. Generally, the roast gets darker moving north through the Arabian Peninsula. In Saudi Arabia, though preferences vary, here's a broad overview:
- North: Dark roast with cardamom and cloves
- East: Light roast with cardamom and saffron
- Center: Medium-light roast with cardamom, saffron, and cloves
- West: Light roast with cardamom, mastic, and cloves
- South: Very light roast with cinnamon, ginger, or ajwain (licorice flavor)
Intellect
Both Yemen and Ethiopia claim to be the birthplace of coffee. Their intertwined histories suggest that coffee was first discovered and consumed in Ethiopia, with Yemen commercializing its cultivation, brewing, and export. However, varying nationalist perspectives will differ from this historically grounded theory. Starting in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ottoman Empire introduced coffee to Europe, parts of Africa, and Asia. By the 17th and 18th centuries, coinciding with the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, coffee gained popularity in Europe and the Americas. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Latin America—especially Brazil—emerged as the world's leading producer of Arabica, with Vietnam the top producer of Robusta, used in instant coffee.
Watch: How Humanity Got Hooked on Coffee Ted Ed
Criticality
Cafes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) function much like sports bars in the U.S., where people gather to watch games. During high-stakes matches, especially between rivals, viewers become deeply engaged with the screen and each other. Soccer is the most popular sport in MENA, as it is worldwide. In 2022, Qatar became the first Muslim and Arab country to host the FIFA World Cup. But soccer, like war, is politics by other means. For those paying attention, many issues emerged in its coverage—from labor laws and human rights abuses to Western media bias marked by Islamophobia, anti-Arab racism, and Orientalism. The Palestinian flag and the Question of Palestine took center stage, while Morocco made history as the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals with a win over Portugal. Click below for more information.
Joy
Coffee holds deep cultural significance in the Gulf region, where traditional brewing methods coexist with modern techniques such as cold brew, V60, and pour-overs. Yemeni coffee, known for its rich heritage, has gained popularity in the United States with cafés like Qahwa House, Haraz, Qamaria, and Matari expanding nationwide from their base in Greater Detroit. A notable Yemeni beverage is qishr, a ginger-forward spice infusion made from coffee husks rather than coffee beans. Regional preferences also differ within Yemen, with the north favoring coffee and the south preferring Adeni chai. Peruse the links below for more info.
- Why the GCC is set to become the next big cold coffee market
- A new blend: Researching coffee culture in the Middle East
- Three of the Best Coffee Shops in Oman
- The Yemeni Coffee Boom Is About So Much More Than Coffee
Baloot is the most famous card game in Saudi Arabia. Related to the French card game Belote, variations of the game are found in Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia (the country, not the US state), Greece, Luxembourg, Moldova, Macedonia (mainly Bitola), Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. Four players in partnerships of two teams are in this trick-taking card game. The two team members are seated across from each other at a table, so no player can see the other players' cards. Suffice it to say, the game can get very animated where people engage in ‘poker-face’ and ‘trash-talk.’
Click on the image for directions on how to play Baloot.
Another popular pastime at cafes, or something you encounter in the background in the Gulf and across MENA, is watching soap operas, listening to music, or Quranic recitations. With the rise of the Digital Revolution in the 1990s, the Gulf began to challenge the music, film, and TV industries that were once dominated by Egypt and the Levant, with productions and investments in musalsalaat (Arabic telenovelas, with Kuwait taking the lead), music, and Qur'anic recitations in the non-Egyptian style. The musalsalaat are particularly popular during Ramadan, with blockbuster productions that are the talk of the town and the internet. In the music industry, one can detect the emergence of a particular Gulf dialect that harmonizes many dialectal variants into one. Quranic recitations and calls to prayer from the Gulf are particularly widespread on state-run media, social media, mobile phone apps, and alarms clocks.
Language
Features of Gulf Arabic dialects include, but are not limited to, ‘qaaf’ pronounced as a ‘g’ or ‘jeem’ pronounced as a ‘g’ or ‘y.’ Therefore, qahwah for coffee is generally pronounced as gahwah. Additionally, shaayy or chaayy for tea may also be pronounced as shaahee. When the dallah, or coffee serving vessel, appears, show off your cultural skills by using these phrases below:
- "tigahwah" (ﺗﻘﻬﻮى)
Would you like coffee (Coffee here has been turned into a verb, and pronounced with a higher pitch at the end, indicating the question ‘to coffee or not to coffee.’) - "samm/sammee" (ﺳﻢّ ﺳﻤّ ﻲ)
Say Bismillah (Here, the host offers you the drink and says, Please enjoy by invoking the name of God!) - "Bismillah" (ﺑﺴﻢ ﷲ)
In the Name of God (How to say grace before your first sip (or bite).) - "3isht" (ﻋﺸﺖ)
May you live a long life (There are many ways to thank the host. From a simple thank you to an elaborate wish to reciprocate the favor and generosity by serving the host coffee during their wedding. Here we just kept it simple but also localized.) - "Kafaak" (ﻛﻔﺎك)
(Thank you. You are generous; this is more than enough!)
Coffee Etiquette
As a general rule of thumb, when coffee is offered, people may be keeping count, for each round has significant meaning for the host and guest within coffee etiquette. If you set your finjan (coffee cup) down and it's empty, one of two things is possible. You will get poured more coffee without shaking your cup slightly left or right before setting it down, or if you shake your cup slightly left and right before setting it down, it is a non-verbal indication that you have had your fill.)
- The first فنجان (finjaan) espresso-size coffee cup is للهيف (lil-hayf), meaning to quench the thirst, quality assurance.
- The second فنجان (finjaan) espresso-size coffee cup is للضيف (lil-hayf), meaning for the honored guest, the early phase of bonding.
- The third فنجان (finjaan) espresso-size coffee cup is للكيف (lil-kayf), meaning for good times, ‘I enjoy your company.’
- The fourth فنجان (finjaan) espresso-size coffee cup is للسيف (lil-sayf), meaning for the sword, ‘I got your back.’
Interculturality
Coffee plays a central role in Arab culture, symbolizing hospitality, generosity, and respect. It is traditionally offered to guests in homes, businesses, and public spaces. Important social interactions such as marriage agreements, business deals, and conflict resolutions often take place over coffee. If a guest is served coffee and does not drink it, this can indicate they have come with a request. Spilling coffee intentionally toward the host can signal hostility. When serving coffee, one should pour with the left hand and extend the cup to the guest with the right, as doing otherwise is considered disrespectful. Coffee is also served during times of mourning. In Muslim communities, for example, when coffee is offered after someone passes away, it is common to recite the opening chapter of the Qur’an, drink the coffee, gently place the cup down, and say Allah yirhamuhu(M) or Allah yirhamuhaa (F), meaning “May God have mercy on their soul.
Emirati Coffee
The aroma of coffee, or gahwa as it is known in the UAE, blended with tastes such as cardamom and rose water is closely associated with Abu Dhabi and the warm welcome you will experience there. Coffee culture is an essential symbol of hospitality in Emirati society, dating back to the days when Bedouins relied on reciprocal generosity. Coffee is so deeply embedded in local culture that serving it requires its own set of customs and etiquette. Click on the images below for how to make Emirati coffee the old world way.
Dates
Dates are highly prized in Islamic cultures and are an important staple during Ramadan. In the Gulf, it is extremely common to be offered dates to accompany your traditional non-sweetened coffee. Below are some popular varieties of dates and links on the history of dates, how Southern California became a hub for US date production, and how to make gourmet dates for Ramadan and Eid.
- The Evolution of Date Palms
- Coachella Valley Dates, California Grown
- Ramadan preparation 2021 | Stuffed Chocolate Covered Dates
Recipe
Ma’mul (spelling varies), also known as kleichah, ka’ik, or kahk, is the ancestor of the Fig Newton and is extremely popular, especially on holidays, among all the Abrahamic faiths throughout the region. The oldest recorded dessert recipe dates back 4,000 years to the Assyrian Empire and is possibly the ancestor to ma’mul. Among the fillings one may find are dates, pistachios, or walnuts. There is a variation in Egypt that stuff it with Turkish delight. Among the variation of spices include cardomon, anise, saffron, cinnamon, and mahleb (cherry pits). And the shortbread cookie component is usually made with semolina, wheat flour, and ghee. There are also different molds to differential the stuffings.
- History’s Oldest Dessert - 4,000 Year Old Mersu
- How we produce the maamul molds
- How to make plant-based Maamoul
Chai Karak
Chai Karak, also known as Adeni Chai, is extremely popular in the Gulf and is related to masala chai or what is known in the US as chai tea latte. Yes, the words chai and tea are redundant. It serves as a testament to the connection forged through Indian Ocean trade. The most widely consumed variants in Oman are flavored with cardamom or saffron. While a symbol of hospitality and incredibly delicious, chai karak does not hold the same cultural significance as coffee in Arab customs and traditions. Watch the video below to learn how to make your own, both the fast and slower version.
Salaam MENA Cultural Center