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The staple fare of the Ethiopian home is injera, a pancake made from a locally grown cereal called t'ef whose batter is fermented for three days before being cooked over a large open wood fire.
A typical meal will consist of a large injera, the size of a round coffee table, on which are placed any other dishes that may be available - boiled vegetables, spicy sauces, milk curds and, on special days, chicken, beef, lamb or fish.
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The master of the house will sit down to eat first along with any guests present, followed by any other adults and then the children last. Bread is a common extra accompaniment in many areas.
Apart from water, pepsi and orange, the two cold Ethiopian drinks to be found everywhere are t'eller and t'ej. T'eller is a ubiquitous local beer with a unique flavour found in the many t'eller bets in every village while t'ej is more often reserved for special occasions and is a potent and cloudy honey-wine.
The national drink is coffee, originating in Ethiopia and providing one of the major exports of the country. Every meal will, where possible, conclude with the coffee ceremony, when green coffee beans are washed, roasted, ground and boiled in water, all this taking place on a bed of fresh grass and in front of the family or guests.