Building community through coffee

黑料吃瓜网

Seasoned

Building community through coffee

By Robyn Doyon-Aitken ,

Catie Talarski, Meg Dalton, Tagan Engel, Katrice Claudio, Stephanie Stender

Published October 4, 2023 at 12:42 PM EDT

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Local 黑料吃瓜网 Jazz group, The Mixed Company Band performs for the Maroon Series at Semilla Caf茅 + Studio, Hartford, CT.

Ayannah Brown / 黑料吃瓜网

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Farah Abubakar pours coffee from a traditional jebena into cups called finjal for an Eritrean coffee ceremony.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

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Before roasting for the Eritrean coffee ceremony, the raw coffee beans are green. Farah Abubaker, the host of this coffee ceremony, has had her prized coffee pot鈥攃alled a jebena鈥攆or 11 years.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

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Farha Abubakar will use a small cup called a finjal to scoop out the raw coffee beans she鈥檒l roast, then grind with spices for an Eritrean coffee ceremony. Her family used to send her beans from Eritrea, but because the beans are so expensive now, Farha bought these online.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

In Eritrea, Farah Abubakar would roast coffee over hot coals, but in her New Haven kitchen, she roasts the beans for an Eritrean coffee ceremony on the stove.

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In Eritrea, Farah Abubakar would roast coffee over hot coals, but in her New Haven kitchen, she roasts the beans for an Eritrean coffee ceremony carefully on the stove.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

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Farah Abubakar holds out her roasted coffee beans for an Eritrean coffee ceremony.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

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As part of an Eritrean coffee ceremony, it is traditional to include green plants, symbolizing blessings. The host burns incense and guests snack on fruit, dates, nuts, popcorn and candy.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

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High pours over finjals, the customary cup for an Eritrean coffee ceremony, show the host鈥檚 skill.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

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A hot coal will be placed in the ornate incense burner and Farha Abubaker will sprinkle dried eucalyptus leaves over the coal as part of an Eritrean coffee ceremony she hosted in her home. The leaves sizzle and create a aromatic smoke.

Tagan Engel / 黑料吃瓜网

This week on Seasoned, we鈥檙e thinking about ways coffee spurs connection and builds community. You鈥檒l hear stories about two very different coffee experiences.

Producer Katrice Claudio talks with Elijah Hilliman, the co-founder of in Hartford. Semilla is a coffee shop, but it鈥檚 also a neighborhood living room serving as a creative space 鈥渞ooted in intention and reclamation鈥� for 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities.

Plus, Producer Tagan Engel attends an Eritrean coffee ceremony hosted by her dear friend Farha Abubaker. We get to know Farha and the traditions behind each part of the ceremony.

And, listeners shout-out for both the excellent coffee and the mission behind its sister coffee bar, . Listen to our interview with owner and coffee expert, J. Ren茅 Martinez.

GUESTS:

Elijah Hilliman: Co-owner of in Hartford, Conn.
Farha Abubaker: Former chef and journalist and currently a teacher in New Haven, Conn.

LEARN MORE:
Read Ayannah Brown's story, MAROON Series by Semilla Caf茅 + Studio in Hartford is generating a new scene of CT music artists. The song at the close of our first segment was "Real Small Change" by .

This show was produced by Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Catie Talarski, Meg Dalton, Tagan Engel, Katrice Claudio, Stephanie Stender, Meg Fitzgerald and Sabrina Herrera.

Join the conversation on , , , and email: seasoned@ctpublic.org.

Seasoned is available as a podcast on , , , , , , or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.