ETHIOPIAN BASIC CUISINE

The two essential foods of most Ethiopians are Ijera and Wat

Injera: Spongy, flat, unleavened bread. usually prepared from teff, wheat or barley and millet
Teff is an Ethiopian-grown grain, rich in minerals, available in health food stores in the United States

Wat: Spicy or mild sauce, onion and pepper base with various spices: cumin, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, garlic, sage, curry and oregano.
Wat can be prepared from beef, lamb, chicken, vegetables or fish

ETHIOPIAN EATING ETIQUETTE

The Ethiopian Custom of giving gursha plays up the erotic component of eating. Gursha means mouthful and refers to a morsel of food which one places carefully in another's mouth, usually as a gesture of affection. Gursha is exchanged between husband and wife, as well as among relatives and friends.

We would like you to experience the art of Gursha - the enjoyment of this custom to its fullest. Simply use your Injera to scoop up some food and place it gently in the other person's mouth, with a smile on your lips and a twinkle in your eyes

Again we extend our greetings and Welcome you to our restaurant

ABOUT ETHIOPIA

Population: The projected population for the year 2000 is 62,242,000 people.

Land Size: Larger than Texas Oklahoma and New Mexico combined or more than twice the size of France. Ethiopia is roughly triangular in its shape and occupies 1,235,000sq. klms or 476,834 sq. miles.

Topography: Much of Ethiopia consists of rugged mountains and a high fertile central plateau. The plateau covers 2/3 of the country, elevated between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level.

Climate: Ethiopia has two identifiable seasons - the rainy season during the months of June July and August (and a bit of rain in February and March) and the dry season from mid-Septemher through May.

Language: Although there are at least seventy separate languages (the official language is Amharic. The ancient language of Ge'ez is still used in church services and in scholarly writings.

Religion: Ethiopia has three major world religions - Christian (Orthodox Church), Islam and Judaism

Calendar: Each Ethiopian month has exactly thirty days The leftover five or six days are gathered into a short thirteenth month called Pagame. Every one of the thirteen months has days for celebration.

Economy: About 90% of the people earn their living on agriculture, exporting coffee, corn, oilseeds, sorghum, sugar cane, teff and wheat.
Manufacturing produces, textiles, cement, processed food and shoes.

History: Ethiopia has been the only independent African country throughout history. During World War 2, when the Italians tried io conquer the nation, Ethiopians fought and retained their independence