Tella

{{other uses}}

{{Short description|Ethiopian-Eritrean traditional beer}}

File:Mashella ena Teff.JPG

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.{{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 }}{{cite web |title=Home page |url=https://enattella.com/ |publisher=EnatTella |access-date=29 April 2024}} These typically include barley or teff. Depending on region, wheat, sorghum, or corn may be used; spices can also be added.{{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}} Dried and ground shiny-leaf buckthorn leaves are used for 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 }} The drink is made in a clay pot. The pot is washed with a plant called grawa. After rinsing it is smoked with weyra or Abyssinian rose. The alcohol content of tella is usually around 2–4 volume percent.

Tella is often home-brewed.{{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}} It may be offered in tella houses (tellabet) or served in the home. In urban areas, the drink is used on special occasions like holidays or weddings.

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.{{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 }}