Sipping Over Centuries

Coffee customs in Jordan transcend mere routine: treasured and steeped in history, they serve as a gateway to the country’s past, present and future.

Words: ISABELLA SULLIVAN

There’s something mesmerising about the preparation of Jordanian coffee. The ceremonious pouring, the proud yet delicate dallah pot, the fragrant, piping hot steam – and it must be piping – peppered with cardamom dancing through the air. It’s more than the pouring of a drink, but a feeling and a memory, nuanced with hundreds of years of history and tradition, a tool for forging connections.

Cherished origins

In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, coffee is an opportunity to reflect and celebrate life, with each sip and pour imbued with meaning. For Jordanians, coffee –specifically black with cardamom, known as qahwa sadad – has been a constant, a bridge between the past and present. It’s there at times of celebration, reflection and challenge, representing a sign of respect and moment to pause and consider life. Much can be achieved over a cup of coffee. On your trip to Jordan, these moments will stay with you long after you return home as the ultimate expression of Arabic hospitality.

Today, Jordan is a dynamic and modern country with burgeoning industries and glossy new hotels attracting travellers the world over, but it’s deeply rooted in its past. Sharing coffee is at the heart of Jordanian culture, dating back to time immemorial when the brew made its way from Yemen through the trade routes of the Middle East. In the capital Amman, many cool cafes serve Jordanian coffee, alongside Turkish, sans cardamom, a pour perfected by the Bedouins and still loved today.

Brewing traditions

The perfect Jordanian coffee starts with the beans being ground, boiled and placed onto the fire’s coals in a pot. It’s served neat, sweetened with a side of dates, or infused with fragrant cardamom or sometimes, cloves and cinnamon.

This process requires patience, allowing the preparer time to contemplate, before transferring the coffee still piping hot, into a dallah, a small coffee pot found in each Jordanian home. From here, coffee cups known as fenjan deliver the perfect portion: just a few moreish sips. One thing is certain, it is always the compliments of the house, and a Jordanian home or establishment is not complete without its dallah and tray of sweets – even in the desert of Wadi Rum.

Common grounds

Human interaction and coffee have long gone hand-in-hand in Jordan. Rituals are intertwined with Bedouin culture, when the distinct rattle of the mehbash , or grinder, would send out a wordless invitation for discussion. Over the centuries, its meaning has developed, and today, coffee is a symbol of hospitality. A first cup is served to welcome guests, and coffee can solve disputes or dictate the fate of love stories. Before a marriage proposal, the future bride and groom’s family will meet for coffee. If the bride’s family accepts the groom, they will offer a cup of coffee. If no coffee is presented, their love story may sadly be over.

Rites and rituals

Pouring coffee is as nuanced and meaningful as the sipping itself. When entering a Jordanian home or establishment, the host will use three cups. The first is poured for themselves, indicating the coffee’s quality, the second is for the eldest male, seated right of the host, and the third presented to the next seated in the circle, following on to the right. Three cups are usually drunk – more, and there’s a score to be settled –with a delicate tilt of the cup symbolising your fill. Some hosts even delight guests with the reading of their fortune from the leftover grounds.

Jacada recommends

Experience these timehonoured traditions for yourself in the natural surroundings of a Wadi as you visit a Bedouin camp.

Learning about Bedouin culture, you will participate in daily activities, including bread and coffee making – the chance to share stories and cement new friendships.