Qishr

by **kingseven** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:06 pm

A bit of an odd first post perhaps. I am looking for more information about Qishr - a kind of Yemeni ginger coffee. A lot of recipes available at the moment use powdered coffee, but I've read in places that it used to be made using the flesh of the coffee cherry and I am wondering if anyone has any info.

Sorry for the randomness.

Jim

by **phil** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:15 pm

Wow! Wotta first post!

I've never heard of this stuff, but it sounds fascinating.

If you're not a member of the Sweet Maria's mailing list yourself, I'll post this question over there on your behalf. My guess is that's possibly the best place to get an informed answer, if anywhere is. Let me know if that's OK with you Jim.

Phil

by **kingseven** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:01 pm

Yeah - that'd be great! Thanks. btw - who/what is Sweet Maria? (excuse the ignorance)

by **phil** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:14 pm

Sweet Maria's is THE place for homeroasters in the U.S., quite possibly the world (apologies to other members - but you're not quite in that league. Yet, anyway).

If you're interested in roasting Jim try looking at http://www.sweetmarias.com.

I know this isn't a roasting issue but I find that the people over there are often incredibly well informed about everything to do with coffee.

I'll get back to you with any response.

by **kingseven** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:10 pm

If I have made anyone curious, don't go to google and use the recipe that abounds on there. Its disgusting. Truly.

I still feel a bit ill.

by **Raf** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:14 pm

kingseven wrote:If I have made anyone curious, don't go to google and use the recipe that abounds on there. Its disgusting. Truly.

I still feel a bit ill.

Heh, better stick to a double ristretto. By the way: welcome, kingseven, hope you enjoy your stay!

by **phil** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:39 pm

One guy came back from Google with this :

After a quick google search it appears that the word may have two
meanings. One is for the coffee husk, from which they made/make
tea. The other is a form of ginger coffee which uses powder coffee,
ginger, and sugar cooked in an ibrik. Probably a Turkish/English
translation issue. The word qishr appears to mean fleshy husk of any
fruit or vegetable.

by **kingseven** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:43 pm

Yeah, I found the same thing (and the same evil recipe over and over). I've only read about it in a few places, so I might try and get hold of the authors.

But thanks for looking.

by **phil** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:58 pm

Also got this:

I've never been to Yemen, but I've been served coffee husk (the
dried outer peel) tea many times in rural Mexico. That was back
when the coffee beans where worth something and the poorest
people, including coffee growers, could only afford to drink the
discarded peels. A weak and dusty brew, with a trace of
caffiene. Now the beans are so cheap that the peels are
composted. A beverage made with fresh cherry would start to
ferment right away, and I've read that it was a common "beer"
way back when in Yemen and Ethiopia. (pre-Islam)

by **phil** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:00 pm

and this ...

>From this website Qishr is made with husks.
http://www.yemeninfo.gov.ye/english/panorama/coffee.htm
I trust that the offical web page of the Yemen government would be somewhat accurate.

Now if I only new arabic ...

by **alans** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:14 pm

You were seconds ahead of me with that last one Phil, and it's an interesting story too.

The English word" coffee", however, comes from the Turkish "Kahveh", which in turn stems from the Arabic "qahwah", a word that originally referred to wine.

Once again the good things in life are connected!

Hamid al-Awadi is another successful Sana'a coffee roaster. He carries several different types, but specializes in the coffee from Wadi al-'Udayn. He offers three roasts: a ligh yellow, usually prepared with ginger and cardamom (and sometimes with sesame or sorghum) that is popular among the tribesmen of the eastern desert; a medium roast to suit the typical Yemeni palate, and a dark roast for export that he calls bunn al-Nasraniyyiin, "coffee for the followers of the Nazarene" that is, Christians. He also sells several different grades of husks for qisher. When I asked Hamid about the popular misconception that Yemenis drink qishr because they can no longer afford their own coffee, he laughed. "The truth is that we save the best beans for ourselves", he said. "The early harvest produces the sweetest coffee. It is roasted in small batches, and this is what is served at home. A farmer sells his surplus, but keeps the very best for his family".

I gotta try me some of that "Coffee Beer" too

From http://www.coffeereview.com/reference.cfm?ID=65:

The husks of the dried coffee fruit, neatly broken in half by the action of the millstones, are used to make a sweet, lightly a drink Yemenis call qishr. The husks are combined with spices and boiled. The resulting beverage is cooled to room temperature and drunk in the afternoon as a thirst-quencher and pick-me-up.

Good one Jim, randomness makes the web go round!

by **kingseven** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:11 pm

Its interesting how the term qisher seems to be applied to a variety of drinks, though all of them are based around ginger and some extraction of coffee.

I'm curious about experimenting with coffee cherries and husks (not just for competition signature drinks, but to satisfy my weird scientific mind)

I must say I am pleasantly surprised by the speed and the extent of the help offered. I thank you again!

Qishr

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