Inside Egypt's Gabbana Coffee Culture

The coffee beans are roasted on fire in a metal container with a handle. 

After roasting, the coffee is placed on a piece of round woven palm fronds, named Hababeet to cool down. 

Then the coffee beans are crushed in a wooden grinder named Fondoq. The grinding handle is usually made of stone. Sometimes ginger is added to the coffee, other times cardamom, cloves or pepper.

The ground coffee is then put in the Gabbana, then water is added. The pot is placed on the fire. When it boils, the Gabbana is put on a round coaster decorated with beads named Awqaya, where it is left to rest. 

Gabbana coffee is served in very small cups. Each person drinks at least three cups of coffee, sometimes five or seven. Always in odd numbers!  

Tradition dictates that the master of the house serves the Gabbana coffee to the male guests. There is a special way of informing the pourer of the coffee that you had enough, by putting the middle finger on the coffee cup, or rolling the remains of the sugar in the cup and finishing it all. 

Gabbana has become indispensable on long trips. Gabbana is the people's way to refuel, a way to relax and power the long hauls and walks across the desert. 

In the past the Gabbana pot was made from clay and required padding for  traveling. The Gabbana would be secured in a ’kabweeta’ which was woven and made from palms and doum tree and filled with fabric. The cups as well would have their own travel 'kabweeta.' The entire coffee making kit would be kept together in a larger bag made from the skin of sheep or goats called Horeg.