In Ethiopia, an elaborate ceremony shows how coffee turns into a drink from a fruit — here's what it's like to participate

• Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, legend has it, by a goat herder named Kaldi.
• I experienced a traditional coffee ceremony in Lalibela, Ethiopia.
• From bean to brew, you can expect the ceremony to last around one and a half hours.
• Soaking in smoky aromas and drinking three full cups are part of the itinerary.

Smoke begins to rise. Pastel-green beans dance upon a worn, flat stage that shields them from a fire burning below. A young lady, the composer of sorts, moves the beans around in calculated motion as to make sure they all dance in harmony. As I sit there, in awe and anticipation, it appears to me as nothing short of art.

I'm referring to the Ethiopian way of coffee. But before I indulge in the artistry of it all, let me say that this art took centuries of perfection.

The espresso you get on your way to work, and the pumpkin spice latte you hate to love may not exist at all if it weren't for the first foragers in Ethiopia.

As legend has it, coffee was actually discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi, who found his goats hyper (buzzed) after eating a certain red fruit from surrounding shrub. That fruit was first documented as coffee in the 11th century, and it took on a reputation as a so-called magical fruit thought to have medicinal properties.

As a self-proclaimed coffee amateur, who until this very moment, had never consumed a single cup of coffee, I came into my experience in Lalibela, Ethiopia as a total outsider. The traditional coffee ceremony,  or jebena buna as it's known in local Amharic tongue, is regarded as a sign of respect. And when I found myself with a coveted invitation, I was certainly not going to pass it up. The ceremony is a long process, averaging around one and a half hours, but it's broken down into clear steps.

Here's how the ceremony is performed, step by step.

First, coffee cherries are picked and peeled to expose the raw coffee bean.

It all starts with the unpicked, virgin coffee cherries. In Lalibela, they grow in abundance in almost every local's backyard. The cherries, when red and ripe, are picked and peeled to expose the raw bean. The husks and debris are then shaken out of the beans until they are pure.

The host — the youngest female in the family — then heats the beans in a clay pot over hot coals.

A traditional coffee ceremony is always conducted by the youngest female in the family. It is an honor to host the ceremony, and every step and guest is carefully attended to. Once the beans are clean, she fills a long-necked, black clay pot (known as a jebena) with water and places it over hot coals.

It's up to the host how long the beans are roasted.

With the water starting to simmer, she roasts the beans over a thin open-faced pan. She keeps the roast as even as possible by stirring them constantly.

Depending on your host, she may stop the roasting once the beans are a light brown, or she may continue until they are slightly blackened and coated with essential oils.