“Blah. Blah. Blahhhhh.” This is the friendly command for “eat more” in the Amharic language that resonates through Ethiopian households whenever there is a visitor. Sharing meals and sipping coffee with friends and family are staples of Ethiopian culture. A variety of lentils and chickpeas with braised greens, stewed chicken and seared lamb are scattered together on top of a large round piece of injera – the sourdough flatbread served with almost every meal. The spongy injera is used in place of utensils as it soaks up all of the different spices and flavors. In both homes and restaurants, delicious meals are often followed by beautiful coffee ceremonies. A light frankincense is burned while coffee beans are roasted over a fire and then hand ground for guests. Traditionally, everyone enjoys three small cups of coffee together – each slightly sweeter than the previous one.
It is widely accepted that coffee originated from Ethiopia and that the teff grain used to make injera was one of the earliest domesticated plants. Come explore thousands of years of Ethiopian cuisine with an array of spices, butter, honey and coffee brought back from Ethiopia specially for this Roadhouse dinner!