EAT IN ASIA / Destinations / Turkey
Turkish coffee - how to make it and drink it?
Do you want to feel as a native Turkish guy? Or enjoy the pleasure of sipping a traditional Turkish coffee? Or maybe you just need an extra energy and power you up for the whole day? No matter what the reason is, Turkish coffee is a must!
First of all, what you have to know is that a traditional Turkish coffee comes in small cups and not in large or tall almost half liter as you know form regular coffee restaurant chains.
Drinking coffee in Turkey is a ceremony. You cannot or rather should not do that either quickly or without patience. Let yourself taste every sip, enjoy the atmosphere, people you stay with or take care of the business you are trying to fix. Remember, the longer you drink it and the more you celebrate it, the better it is. No hurry, no take-away, just pleasure and a lot of time. Not only will that give you tranquility but will also pleasure your host or your business partners. So, take your time.
Turkish coffee – what is that?
At the beginning, please remember that Turkey do not have its own coffee plantations. That being said, means that all beans have to been imported. As the coffee industry and sector is relatively huge, you might find coffee from different countries. Brazil, Columbia, Nicaragua and many other are easily available in Turkey. While Arabica beans dominate the market, Robusta amateurs will not be disappointed either.
As in all other countries, buying coffee for home purposes, give you a possibility of choosing different brands selling either only coffee beans or already grounded coffee. Some companies are over hundred years old and with a long tradition.
The coffee for preparing Turkish coffee is finely grounded. It is almost like a powder that could easily mislead you that it is not coffee but a cocoa powder. The colour of the grounded coffee is pale and very delicate. However, the aroma is still strong and very pleasant.
What you have to remember about, is that the term ‘Turkish coffee’ refers to the brewing process or to the way of preparing coffee and not to the coffee type. The brewing process is quite long. It is done in a special pot called in Turkey ‘cezve’. In other countries you might hear ‘ibrik. Grounded coffee, water and usually sugar are mixed in the pot and heated until the mixture almost boils. You will know about by observing the content. As soon as the froth appears on the coffee, the exact moment is reached. Remove it form from the fire and pour to the cup. The more froth you get, the better it is.
You can fill the whole cup at once, but to reach the frothier effect, fill it in 50%. Put the pot again on fire and repeat the action. Then pour the rest of the coffee to your cup. Remember that obtaining the frothy topping is desirable.
Don’t worry also about the grounded coffee that was poured into the cup. That is natural and it should be like that. The thick coffee layer of it should rest in the bottom of the cup. As the coffee is very finely grounded, some small parts of it will be mixed in the drink and lay on the top. Drinking coffee with the coffee powder is natural and you should not be afraid of it.
Turkish coffee although has a strong aroma, it is not extremely strong, or caffeine loaded. It has a pleasant taste and a frothy texture. This coffee is served in tiny porcelain cups. Theses special Turkish coffee cups are either regular coffee cup and plate sets, or unique porcelain cups placed in special steel or silver cup holders with lids. Additionally, your coffee would come with a separate glass of water and usually with some Turkish sweets – Turkish delights.
This glass of water should help you neutralize all tastes you have in your mouth, so that you could fully appreciate the coffee flavor. Coffee served in that way is a unique pleasure that should be celebrated for a long time. A small sip after another, would give you a possibility of enjoying both the drink, your host, place and atmosphere. So, no rush. Take your time, forget about all your everyday duties, and enjoy the moment.
What kind of a coffee shall I use for Turkish coffee?
You can use any kind of coffee. As long as it is finely grounded and fresh, it doesn’t matter whether that is Arabica or Robusta.
This coffee should be aromatic while smelling it. Another thing is, that after touching coffee, its pieces should easily separate one from another. It should not stick.
How to make Turkish Coffee in a pot?
Ingredients (for 2 cups):
- 2 cups of cold water
- 4 teaspoons of grounded coffee
- sugar according to your preferences
Directions:
- Mix coffee and cold water in the pot
- If you are going to use sugar, add it at that moment (do not do that after cooking coffee)
- Put the pot on the low-heat fire
- Bring it almost to boiling – till the moment when the froth on the top appears. Do not let it boil!
- Keep boiling for a while
- Stir a couple of times
- As soon as the froth rises, remove the pot from fire
- Pour it slowly to the cups (fill cups in half)
- Replace the pot on fire and repeat the action with boiling – till the froth rises
- Pour slowly the rest of the coffee to the cups
- Top coffees with the coffee foam – use a teaspoon to do that
Serve with a glass of water per each cup and small sweet aside. Turkish delights would be the best, but you could go with small biscuits or chocolates.
IMPORTANT!!!
Don’t let your coffee boil.
Pour it slowly to your cups – that will guarantee that bubbles will not disappear.
Read more about traditional Turkish teas (Cure yourself with aromatic Turkish teas), Sahlep (What is Sahlep (Salep) and how to make it - recipe) and coffees in other countries.
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