Far from being a simple drink, Touba coffee is a symbol of Senegalese culture, spirituality and tradition. Introduced in Senegal by Sheik Ahmadou Bamba, this coffee enriched with Guinea pepper, called djar in the local language, manages to seduce any palate thanks to its unique and pleasantly spicy aroma.
We who know coffee first had the pleasure of tasting it, aware that we were celebrating a true ritual that combines identity and history. So let’s discover together how this special beverage was born, how it is prepared and what has turned it into an authentic icon.
What is Touba coffee
As we mentioned in the introduction, Touba coffee is a traditional drink from Senegal, prepared from a blend of Arabica coffees with a strong and intense flavour.
The uniqueness of this recipe lies in the added flavours: the coffee beans are infused together with cloves and Guinea pepper, known for its positive effects on digestion and for the fact that it contains piperine, a substance that stimulates the production of endorphins and acts as a natural antidepressant.
More specifically, the Guinea pepper usually used is a variety of Piper longum, also prized for its alleged anti-allergic properties. Some studies also suggest that it can help fight asthma and respiratory problems, making Touba coffee a real health boon.
Sipping this beverage, on the other hand, one cannot fail to perceive a tantalising balsamic aftertaste, which is particularly pleasing to the palate, and which makes it also used in Ayurvedic medicine, precisely because of its invigorating and balancing effect.
In Senegal, Touba coffee is usually served sweet and is one of the most popular drinks among the population. It can be easily found in tangana, the characteristic street food stalls, where it can be bought for a few cents and at any time, even during the night.
How Touba coffee was born
Touba coffee has its roots in the 19th century, when people began to talk about this drink thanks to the influence of a spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba. According to the most credible version of the story, it was he who introduced Touba coffee to Senegal, naming it after the city of the same name, which he founded. After all, the Arabic word Tūbā means ‘happiness’: a name that was certainly not chosen at random.
As for Guinea pepper, the key ingredient in Touba coffee, it has a long and fascinating history. Widespread in Europe until the 16th century, it was gradually replaced by Indian black pepper imported by Venetian merchants, i.e. the same pepper we all use in our cooking today.
Thanks to its intense and characteristic flavour, Guinea pepper gives Touba coffee a unique aroma profile: spicy, slightly smoky and with an aftertaste reminiscent of nutmeg. It is usually used in pods, which are ground before being added to the preparation, thus releasing their full aroma.
And it is precisely this combination of history, tradition and flavour that makes Touba coffee a unique drink, especially for us coffee lovers accustomed to the traditional and indispensable espresso, even better if prepared with the ever-present espresso machine.
The truth, however, is that if you want to drink good coffee, you should do it with the right machine. It may not have the spicy, ‘oriental’ aroma of Touba coffee, but we assure you that, prepared with the right medium, even a simple espresso can literally awaken the senses!
Precisely for this reason, we at Pontevecchio have specialised in lever machines, the main advantage of which is precisely in being able to extract all the nutrients of the coffee blend introduced, emphasising its flavour and aroma to the maximum. So, before enjoying the unique taste of Touba coffee, you should ‘train’ your palate with a properly prepared espresso from one of our machines. All you have to do is browse through our catalogue to find the right coffee machine for you and, while you enjoy sipping your cup, read on, because we are about to reveal the Touba coffee recipe!
How Touba coffee is made
To prepare Touba coffee, you first need the three main ingredients:
- Arabica coffee beans;
- Guinea pepper pods;
- cloves.
The first step is to roast the coffee beans together with the peppercorns and cloves, stirring until the mixture is dark and uniform in colour. Once ready, let them cool completely. Once this is done, grind everything with the help of a mortar or coffee grinder and boil some water in the meantime.
To filter the coffee, you can use a gauze or a homemade filter: simply fill it with the chopped mixture and pour the boiling water over it. This step should be repeated a couple of times in order to obtain a coffee with a more intense and aromatic flavour. To finish, add sugar to taste and serve your Touba coffee hot, savouring all the flavour and passion contained in every sip of this fantastic Senegalese beverage.
Conclusion
As you should have realised by now, Touba coffee is not just a drink: it is a symbol of culture, history and spirituality. To savour its intense aroma and spicy flavour is to experience an authentic taste of Africa, becoming part of a thousand-year-old tradition.
Whether you taste it in the lively tanganas of Dakar or try to prepare it at home, Touba coffee remains a unique experience that tells of the deep bond between a community and its traditions. So, as a lover of coffee and all its infinite variations, this drink is bound to win you over, letting you experience a taste of Senegal in every delicious little sip!
