A culinary Journey to Ethiopia > Around an injera

Godjo is the name given to the humblest house, that of the farmer. To the question "What is a farmer?", the sage replies: "The farmer is the servant of the products of the earth. He sighs after the rain and hopes to obtain water when his fields are sown. His work is for food. He beautifies the soil; he is the physician of the land, the consoler of the countryside. He stays on the fields with the wild animals, patiently enduring the dew. He is good to travelers. He feeds the birds; he is the founder of everything, the chief of all merchants."
Abba Michael - Ethiopian sage, from the "Philosophers' Book" completed between 1510 and 1522.

The cradle of one of the world's oldest civilizations, Ethiopia (country of the burned faces in Greek), alone sums up the dark continent, known to the pharaohs and mentioned in the Old Testament. It's the land of the Blue Nile that stretches over 800 km and pours out millions of gallons of water near Bahar Dar, creating spectacular rainbows above the "smoking" falls.

Like its landscapes, ethnic groups and dialects, Ethiopia's cooking is diverse, whether you're speaking about Amharic, Tigrigna or Oramigna, whether you live in the Kwolla, the "hot lands" zone that receives abundant rainfall, often unhealthy and covered in thick forests that are difficult to cross or arid steps; woinadaga, with its subtropical climate, the most heavily populated and cultivated region; or the daiga, the "cold lands" zone, home to livestock and grain production at elevations above 2500 m.

Step up to the mesob, the traditional circular table of colored wicker. Here, no utensils are used. You eat with your hands: your right hand, specifically.... the left hand is reserved for something else.

In Ethiopian restaurants, you can opt for the fesek menu (including meat), or the tsom menu (vegetarian).