flipGolda's Kitchen Black Coffee
Golda's Kitchen Black Coffee
Why this dish? Golda Meir gathered her close advisors late at night in her own kitchen, over coffee and cake: these informal meetings became famous as 'Golda's kitchen' (mitbachon). Her coffee pot and cups are among her typical objects.
Black coffee, strong and served unpretentiously in simple cups. Not a gourmet coffee: a working and talking coffee, accompanied by a slice of cake, that kept you awake until the small hours.
We decided more things in my kitchen than in Parliament, and always over coffee — black, strong, and lots of it. I never liked fuss: a good coffee pot, cups you refill as you go, a slice of cake for those who want it, and we talk until the decision is made. Cigarette in hand, coffee getting cold, men discussing — that was my way of governing. Sit down, let me pour you another cup.
- •Ground coffee — generously (base)
- •Water — according to number of cups (infusion)
- •Sugar — on the side, for those who want (optional sweetness)
Golda's Kitchen Black Coffee
Black coffee, strong and served unpretentiously in simple cups. Not a gourmet coffee: a working and talking coffee, accompanied by a slice of cake, that kept you awake until the small hours.
Why this dish? Golda Meir gathered her close advisors late at night in her own kitchen, over coffee and cake: these informal meetings became famous as 'Golda's kitchen' (mitbachon). Her coffee pot and cups are among her typical objects.
We decided more things in my kitchen than in Parliament, and always over coffee — black, strong, and lots of it. I never liked fuss: a good coffee pot, cups you refill as you go, a slice of cake for those who want it, and we talk until the decision is made. Cigarette in hand, coffee getting cold, men discussing — that was my way of governing. Sit down, let me pour you another cup.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ground coffee — generously (base)
- Water — according to number of cups (infusion)
- Sugar — on the side, for those who want (optional sweetness)
Ingredients
- Ground coffee (dark roast) — 2 tbsp per 4 cups (base)
- Simmering water — 1 liter (infusion)
- Cardamom (Levantine option) — 1 crushed pod (flavor)
- Sugar — on the side (optional)
Method
- Bring water to a simmer without boiling vigorously.
- For filter coffee: pour water over ground coffee, let steep, then serve.
- For a Levantine version: add coffee (and crushed cardamom) to hot water, let foam rise without boiling, remove from heat, let stand 1 min for grounds to settle.
- Serve black in small cups, sugar on the side.
- Accompany with a slice of cake or strudel for long conversations.
How it was made : Coffee is central to the sociability of the Near East and Israel. Golda, a heavy smoker and night owl, drank a lot of it; her nocturnal 'kitchen meetings' over coffee and pastries have entered Israeli political legend.
The contemporary twist : A pinch of cardamom brings this Ashkenazi coffee closer to the Levantine coffee Golda encountered in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem — two worlds in one cup.
Sources : Golda Meir, My Life (autobiography, 1975)
Golda Meir · Charactorium
