Yazdi Coffee

Food

Yazdi Coffee

Coffee is a popular drink worldwide, but in Iran, tea is even more popular than coffee! However, in some regions, the presence of coffee is more prominent and of cultural background and support. Yazd is considered one of these regions where coffee preparation has its own customs and methods.

Coffee in Yazd

Coffee probably became popular in Yazd during the Qajar era (19th century), although some people attribute its history to four centuries ago. It seems that, since the people of Yazd did not initially enjoy the taste of coffee, they developed a special preparation method to suit their own preferences. This method of preparing coffee gradually spread and gained popularity among coffee enthusiasts in Yazd. If you travel to Yazd, you will be surprised by the variety of sweets in Yazd, because the people of this region are very fond of sweet tastes. The change introduced by the people of Yazd in preparing coffee, resulting in ‘Yazdi coffee,’ addressed this very issue: they sweetened the coffee to counteract its natural bitterness and achieve a flavor that harmonized with their preference for sweetness. This method was so well received that coffee made its way to some mourning ceremonies and religious rituals in Yazd and was called “mourning coffee”.

Yazdi people also serve coffee in the ceremony they hold on the third day after the death of their deceased in their own way. There are various accounts of how coffee was introduced to these ceremonies. Some people believe that it was due to the presence of caffeine and the relaxing nature of coffee. Some also believe that the sweetness of Yazdi coffee helps alleviate the bitterness felt in the hearts of mourners after the loss of loved ones. At the same time, some Yazdi people believe that since coffee is black in color, it is considered to be in alignment with the color black, which is a sign of mourning in Iran. Yazdi coffee is distributed among the mourners on the third day of mourning for Imam Husayn (AS) and even on the days of Tasua and Ashura (9th and 10th of Muharram).

The Preparation Method of Yazdi Coffee

In the traditional method of brewing Yazdi coffee, a large copper pot and a sizable ladle—called a ‘Kamchali’ in the Yazdi dialect—are used. Charcoal is used to provide the heat for preparing this type of coffee. Rock candy, cardamom, and rose water are other ingredients used in Yazdi coffee. Rock candy of Yazd is famous in Iran because Yazdi people usually drink their tea with rock candy. The Yazdi rock candy has also found its way into Yazdi coffee and is used to sweeten it. Yazdi People also add rose water to coffee. There is a village near Yazd, called Dehbala, which is famous for its roses and rose gardens. The people of Yazd believe that adding authentic Dehbala rose water gives Yazdi coffee its true aroma.

Many restaurants, teahouses, and traditional or eco-tourism accommodations in Yazd serve Yazdi coffee to tourists. It is usually presented in small glazed clay bowls rather than cups, giving it not only a distinctive taste but also a uniquely Yazdi style of serving.

National Registration of Yazdi Coffee

The special technique of brewing and preparing Yazdi coffee - the type of changes that have occurred in the taste of coffee according to the taste of the people of Yazd - and the introduction of this type of coffee in mourning ceremonies and religious rituals of Yazdi people caused Yazdi Coffee to be inscribed on the list of intangible national heritage of Iran in the year 2017 AD.