Emirati woman finds her coffee flavour

Mezirah: For four years an Emirati woman has been searching for a special flavour for Arabic coffee and finally she found it in Kenya.

Umm Mohammad, maker of Al Gazlan coffee, told Gulf News: "I tried so many kinds of coffee to make my own flavour and I was surprised to find the secret in Africa, the homeland of coffee."

Speaking from her stall at the Fourth Liwa Festival, she described her method of preparing the coffee as a secret.

Her homemade Arabic coffee is popular among locals. "My clients order their coffee powder over the phone and I deliver it to them or they come to my home to pick it," she said.

She networks through the exhibitions. "I don't have a shop and all the work is done at home. The food authority comes to check on the quality of the work at home," she said.

Though Umm Mohammad uses Kenya's coffee beans, she has her own way of roasting the beans and mix it with cardamom. After boiling the coffee a small amount of "Zaffuran" crocus is added. "Though I'm a teacher my income from coffee is much higher than the salary I get," she said.