Tella

{{other uses}} {{Short description|Ethiopian-Eritrean traditional beer}} thumb|Teff and sorghum, Tella grains '''''Tella''''' or '''''talla''''' (Amharic ጠላ; {{langx|om|farsoo}}, {{langx|ti|siwa}}) is a traditional beer from Ethiopia. It is brewed from various grains, which can change depending on location.<ref name="uniqueness">{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Mooha |last2=Regu |first2=Meron |last3=Seleshe |first3=Semeneh |title=Uniqueness of Ethiopian traditional alcoholic beverage of plant origin, tella |journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods |pages=110–114 |date=September 2015|volume=2 |issue=3 |doi=10.1016/j.jef.2015.08.002 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="enat">{{cite web |title=Home page |url=https://enattella.com/ |publisher=EnatTella |access-date=29 April 2024 |archive-date=29 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429013658/https://enattella.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> These typically include barley or teff. Depending on region, wheat, sorghum, or corn may be used; spices can also be added.<ref name="uniqueness" /><ref name="slow food">{{cite web |title=Traditional Tella |url=https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/traditional-tella/ |publisher=Slow Food |access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref> Dried and ground shiny-leaf buckthorn leaves are used for fermentation.<ref name="fermentation">{{cite journal |last1=Birhanu |first1=Asamnew Maru |last2=Teferra |first2=Tadesse Fikre |last3=Lema |first3=Tesfu Bekele |title=Fermentation Dynamics of Ethiopian Traditional Beer (Tella) as Influenced by Substitution of Gesho (Rhamnus prinoides) with Moringa stenopetala: An Innovation for Nutrition |journal=International Journal of Food Science |date=November 2021|pages=1–10 |doi=10.1155/2021/7083638 |doi-access=free |pmid=34845435 |pmc=8627356 }}</ref> The drink is made in a clay pot. The pot is washed with a plant called ''grawa''.<ref name="slow food" /> After rinsing it is smoked with ''weyra''<ref name="slow food" /> or Abyssinian rose.<ref name="uniqueness" /> The alcohol content of tella is usually around 2–4 volume percent.<ref name="fermentation" />

Tella is often home-brewed.<ref>{{Cite book|last=By Pamela Goyan Kittler, Kathryn P. Sucher, Marcia Nelms|title=Food and Culture|publisher=Cengage Learning|date=22 Aug 2011|pages=202}}</ref><ref name="slow food" /> It may be offered in tella houses (''tellabet'') or served in the home.<ref name="slow food" /> In urban areas, the drink is used on special occasions like holidays or weddings.<ref name="fermentation" />

Tella was commonly used for kiddush by the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews). Tella was used because wine was often unavailable. Due to the availability of wine in Israel, Ethiopian-Israelis generally use wine for kiddush instead of tella.<ref name="The World of Jewish Cooking">{{cite book |last=Marks |first=Gil |date=1996 |title=The World of Jewish Cooking |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ux2lGKCKVPYC&q=The:+World+of+Jewish+Cooking |location=New York, NY |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=100, 273 |isbn=9780684835594 }}</ref>

==See also== {{portal|Beer}} * The Tigrayan Siwa (beer) culture *Tej, an Ethiopian and Eritrean honey wine * List of Ethiopian dishes and foods * Eritrean cuisine

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== *Ethnomed [http://ethnomed.org/clinical/nutrition/the-traditional-foods-of-the-central-ethiopian#section-10 Ethiopian foods] *[http://ethiopianfood.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/talla-tell-al/ T’alla Tell-All - Ethiopian Food] *''[http://lissanonline.com/blog/?p=407 Traditional Alcoholic Beverages from Ethiopia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117065606/http://lissanonline.com/blog/?p=407 |date=2020-11-17 }}'', LISSANonline.com *''[http://gadling.com/2010/04/15/boozing-it-up-in-ethiopia/ Boozing it up in Ethiopia]'', GADLING.com *[http://www.journalofethnicfoods.net/article/S2352-6181(15)00042-6/pdf On Tella, the Ethiopian beer], in .pdf format

Category:Types of beer Category:Beer in Ethiopia Category:Eritrean cuisine Category:Jewish ceremonial food and drink