Bahrain's National Day

This past Wednesday evening, the Bahraini embassy in Washington, DC celebrated National Day which marks the ascension of His Majesty the King of Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, to the throne. The Ambassador, Ms. Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo, and Cultural Attache Ms. Aysha Murad, welcomed guests in an hour and a half long procession at the Ritz Carlton.

The reception was organized so beautifully, that it was hard to believe it wasn't taking place on embassy ground, or in Bahrain itself. With the embassy staff dressed in traditional red, white, and gold garments, Arabic music being played on the keyboard, tables full of authentic Arabian (and most other famous world cuisines), and a henna tattoo artist on hand to decorate the hands of female guests, everyone felt as if they were being transported to a far away land.

Bahrain is often called "The Gateway to the Gulf". The Arabic word "Bahrain" actually means "two seas". The nation of Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf that has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times. Around 5000 years ago Bahrain was home to the Bronze Age civilization of Dilmun, which lasted some two millenia. Throughout history, Bahrain's unique geography led to an intimate relationship with water. Seafarers carried merchants and their goods to both India and Africa. Prior to the 1930's, many Bahrainis made their livings by pearl-diving and fishing.

Since then Bahrain has been occupied alternately by Babylonians, Sumerians, Greeks, Persians, Portuguese, and Turks, among others. Each of these groups left their marks on the culture and cuisine of Bahrain. Nowadays, Bahrain's high economic status is matched by its ideals of promoting cultural diversity, education, and women's rights, making it what I like to call a "Utopia in the Gulf".

The entertaining idea which I liked the most at the reception was the way various buffet tables were set up throughout the ballroom. There was so much food, that no matter where you went, and who you talked to, you were bound to run into another display of new foods to try. There was an Asian appetizer buffet at the entrance, a Middle Eastern buffet in the back, a vegetable table in the middle, and various drink stations. On the other end of the ballroom, Italian and Chinese buffets were set up. One table was dedicated to American/English style tea and desserts, while a second served Arabian treats and cardamom infused coffee.

RECIPE:

Arabian Cardamom Coffee (Qahwa Arabeya)

As soon as lunch and dinner are over in the Arabian Peninsula,
the cool, watery, scent of cardamom begins seeping out of
kitchens, filling the air with a sensuous spice blanket. Coffee is
an important part of daily life throughout the region. It symbolizes
hospitality and is used to punctuate the beginning and end
of a meal.
Ground Arabic coffee is golden in color. It is mixed with equal
parts (or sometimes even more) ground cardamom. It tastes like an herbal tea yet
offers the stimulant properties of espresso. Many people who do not drink coffee but
who enjoy spices and herbal teas find this drink appealing.

Arabic coffee is made in beautiful gold-, silver-, and copper colored pots with handles and spouts resembling Aladdin?s lamp. The pots are often decorated with jewels or designs. The coffee is cooked over stoves or the coals of an open fire. It is served in
small eggshell-size porcelain cups without handles that resemble Japanese saki cups.

Ingredients:
3 cups water
3 tablespoons ground cardamom
2 tablespoons ground Arabic coffee*
Pinch of saffron, if desired

Preparation:
Combine water, cardamom, coffee, and saffron in a medium
saucepan or Arabic coffee pot. Bring to a boil over medium-
high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5
minutes. Strain into Arabic coffee cups. Serve hot with
dates.
Serves 10.

Tip: Arabic coffee is never served with sugar. It is always
served with dates, to balance the bitterness.