Mr. Al Naboos and the secret recipe
A pinch of Almonds, a little dash of cinnamon, fresh cascara, and a spoon of ginger – the precious ingredients observed by a curious young boy. He memorized and perfected the recipe that he had spied on, before leaving his modest village of Amran – a small city in western central Yemen.
Coffee has long been a treasure of The Yemen. Located in the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen was once famous for frankincense and myrrh. Until today it holds many precious resources such as oil, agriculturally productive land, copper, gold, iron ore, nickel, and zinc.
The boy of Amran, pinched the recipe and travelled to the historic capital city of Old Sanaa. He refined the formula to the perfect taste of all the Yemeni locals. Unaware about the exceptional life he would live, the journey destined for him, and most certainly of the rich impact he would bestow on so many.
In his own rights and terms, almost without himself knowing it, Mr. Al Naboos soon became a self- made barista. He set up a small shop. Many rapidly recognised his marvellous coffee. As the coffee became renowned, people flocked from other parts of Yemen, arriving to the city in search of tasting the famous coffee. The precise blend travelled beyond Yemen, into neighbouring countries for every connoisseur and aficionados to enjoy. The coffee became so famous that people would approach him with empty flasks, eager to taste the rich brew conducted from his own mortar. He was incredibly proud to meet customers that travelled all the way from Abu Dhabi in search of his coffee.
His passion remained: serving people excellent coffee. Watching their faces light up as they took their first sips. He recognised their surprise for the flavour, texture, and perfectness of the cup. The notes of apricots, spices and almonds danced on their lips. This was his life’s work, and it was captured in his soul. Every coffee served by him was with a precious smile, a glisten in his eyes and great warmth beaming from his heart.
When asked what his favourite coffee was, Yemeni Boon would be the answer. Mr. Al Naboos would say: “the Yemen coffee has a long and great history among all other countries”. I couldn’t agree more.
First consumed as a beverage in western Yemen in 1450. The discovery of that mysterious little bean was just the beginning of how we know coffee culture today. From the science of roasting to the knowledgeable and artistic baristas. Yemen was the first country to export coffee. By the 1700’s the majority of the country’s profits came from coffee export and the world’s supply of coffee came from Yemen. For more than 70 years Mr Al. Naboos’s coffee was shared with millions. He is a legend in his own right.
“You will not find anything like Yemini coffee in the whole world”
– Yahya Bin Hizam Al Naboos (1934 – 2022)
We are deeply saddened to have received news of the passing of Yahya Bin Hizam Al Naboos, only one week after being welcomed into his traditional home and shop.
Having been gifted the special chance to meet Mr. Al Naboos before he departed this life, we were truly taken back by his humbleness and gratitude. I can only express just how remarkable a person Mr. Al Naboos was. In the short time the team were able to spend with Yahya Bin Hizam Al Naboos, his passion, devotion and appreciation for coffee served as an evident reminder of why Rose & Cactus do what we do today.
As part of our wider mission at Rose & Cactus, we’ll continue sharing Yemeni coffee with the world. We will follow in the footsteps of Yahya Bin Hizam Al Naboos and all that he has shared and taught us. Yemen may have lost a treasure, but his story will last a lifetime.
I am not certain, but I hope that just a few years ago, on a beautiful summery day in the city of Old Sanaa was a small boy. He was sat with his mama and aunties in a humble coffee shop. As his elders gossiped over magical coffee, the small boy glanced over his shoulder and noticed an old man, with shiny bright eyes, sitting in the corner of the shop. The old man was smiling while stirring a big cauldron of coffee. The boy observed with joy and keen attention as a pinch of almonds, a little dash of cinnamon, some fresh cascara, and a spoonful of ginger…
