Comments on: You’re in Saudi Arabia. Coffee or Tea?

By: delhi4cats

delhi4cats — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:19:44 +0000

hmmmm….everyone that I know here in the Kingdom ALWAYS prepares arabic coffee with cardamon. I’ve never experienced it being made without cardamon.

I will also serve it routinely and I apply 1 spoon of cardemon to every 2 spoons of coffee.

By: Abu Sinan

Abu Sinan — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:15:43 +0000

John,

You might be right. I, myself, have always used the same word for coffee, no matter the type. In my wife’s family the type with cardamom is only usually served during Ramadan.

I am with Carol. So many people use different numbers to replace letters in Arabic that kind of look the same, ie “3″ for ayn, 9 for “wa” and so on. I dont usually do this, but sometimes I do. Sa7?

By: delhi4cats

delhi4cats — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:42:56 +0000

and I just have my own way of spelling phonetically….

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:25:24 +0000

To the best of my recollection, in Saudi Arabia ‘qahwa’ means coffee–any kind, from Nescafe to Arabic. ‘Qawa’ means the green, lightly roasted coffee heavily flavored with cardamom.

By: Abu Sinan

Abu Sinan — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:58:07 +0000

Isnt it interesting how different transliteration is? John says “qawa”, Carol says “kawa” and I would use “qahwa”.

I know there is set of rules somewhere about this for academics, but I know I certainly dont follow it.

By: delhi4cats

delhi4cats — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:33:56 +0000

My husband and I have the habit since being in the Kingdom of having Saudi tea about 1.5 hours after we have finished our evening meal. It seems to hit the spot and the small slender glasses keep us from drinking too much.

Yet on the other hand when starting the day I cannot imagine not having the kawa. In my view the Saudi kawa seems to have more caffein than the american version.

Speakign of coffee breath, I find that with American coffee but not with the arabic coffee.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:24:31 +0000

I regret the increasing tendency in Saudi offices to serve tea–often made from tea bags–in western cups. Tea, though, isn’t my favorite beverage.

I’m happiest when served qawa, the cardamom-heavy green coffee, but certainly appreciate the Turkish/Arabic coffee as well.

About the ‘coffee-breath’… well, perhaps I’ve never noticed it.

And yes… pouring from on high is definitely a Saudi thing, too!

By: Abu Sinan

Abu Sinan — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:01:11 +0000

I love the tea thing. I lived in England for years and it was much the same thing. I prefer the loose tea to bog tea. We usually drink mint tea, sometimes withb cardamom, but usually without.

By: delhi4cats

delhi4cats — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:52:24 +0000

Molly: So lovely to see you here! And yes; Lipton certainly comes in the loose form as well… but you are right, we do not see it as commonly in the States. Although in the States I prefer Tazo Chai which I cannot find here.

Ummadam: You are very observant! When I was searching for a photo which depicted the typical type of slender glasses the one I found just happened to be of a Morrocan pouring tea! However I have found Saudis to serve the same way – up high – with both tea and coffee (chai and kawa).

And if you did not find it (it’s under the Who is American Bedu page) my email is american_bedu (at) yahoo (dot) com.

By: delhi4cats

delhi4cats — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:44:27 +0000

Hi Winslie…no; I do not mind at all. I think it is good when one can exchange info and increase knowledge!