Ethiopian food is common throughout many different countries and continents. These Ethiopian cuisine restaurants attempt to mirror and replicate the various foods and ceremonies that exist in Ethiopia. How authentic are the foods served in Ethiopian restaurants in comparison to food in Ethiopia? In order to attempt to answer this question, I explored an Ethiopian cuisine restaurants in Boston called Fasika.
On my trip to Fasika restaurant, one of the questions I posed to the server, Tilahun Beyene, is what type of ingredients are used to prepare the food and where do you find them? Beyene replied by explaining the various herbs, spices and seasons used including berbere,teff, black pepper, cardamom, ginger and cayenne pepper which give the food a special seasoning and flavor. Additionally, he stated that most of the ingredients can be found in Ethiopian stores around Boston, however the special spices such as berbere and teff are exported from Ethiopia for authenticity. At Fasika restaurant, the most common foods ordered by customers during fasting season include the vegan dish which includes different types of lentil stews, cabbage and carrots and collard greens.
Furthermore, the most common drink ordered other than coffee is called tej. Beyene explained tej as honey wine that is served in a special flask called bereles. This special drink is brewed in Ethiopia and has a series of steps and process to be made. In the book Mesob across America by Henry Kloman he states that the main ingredients used in tej are honey, water, a stick or leaf of gesho all fermented together to create the ancient honey wine (126).
Why Ethiopian Food is popular across many different continents?
Throughout many different cities in North American and European countries Ethiopian food is arguably one of the most, if not the most, popular African cuisine. One may ask why Ethiopian food is well-known not just in Africa, but throughout other continents as well? Based on my experience from eating Ethiopian food, I suggest that the cuisines popularity mainly comes from the dishes being healthy and flavorful. In addition, the cuisine includes a large variety of food options that satisfies vegetarians, vegans, meat-lovers, pescatarians, etc. Since Ethiopian cuisine and tradition offers a wide range of flavors and creates a sense of inclusiveness and community it tends to be popular on a global scale.
In the Hillel Center at Boston University Jewish and Ethiopian Jewish panel they made and served traditional Ethiopian food, below are the pictures:
The process and steps in making Ethiopian honey wine called Tej:
Ethiopian Cuisine Across The World 