Shadawi Coffee Basic Element on Ramadan Tables in Al-Baha

Arabic coffee is the common element on the Ramadan tables across various regions of the Kingdom.

 In the Al-Baha region, Shadawi coffee, grown in the Shada mountains in the Al Makhwah governorate, is on Ramadan tables, along with dates.

 Ali Al-Shadawi attributed the special status of Shadawi coffee to several factors, the most important of which is the abundant and high-quality coffee production in the Shada Al-Asfal and Shada Al-Ala areas, in addition to highlighting the rich cultural heritage tied to the region’s agricultural identity.

 Saeed Al-Ghamdi says, "Shadawi coffee is distinguished by its sweet taste. It enhances social interaction and is served to guests with dates and ghee during family gatherings and Ramadan nights.”

 Fatima Al-Omari pointed out that the time spent preparing the Iftar meal is an opportunity for housewives to teach their daughters how to prepare Shadawi coffee with traditional dishes such as dates and ghee, which represent the culture of the southern kitchen. This is an important part of the local community's customs and traditions, as well as an opportunity to prepare daughters for their future lives.

 Abdullah bin Ali Al-Ghamdi, a coffee farmer from Shada, said that coffee cultivation takes more than three years, beginning in late summer, and is harvested in the beginning of the fourth summer. After harvesting, he said, the coffee beans are dried and sorted, then transferred to the rooftops of houses for sun drying for three days.

 “They are collected and kept away from the sunlight for two days indoors, then spread again on the rooftops for 5 days. After this process, the coffee beans change from red to black. Then, the beans are ground, and the husk is separated to obtain pure coffee beans, which are sold according to the customer’s preference,” he explained.