Türk Kahvesi, the Turkish coffee heritage of humanity
An ancient ritual, with a mysterious and magical flavor: this is Turkish Coffee, also known as Türk Kahvesi from the name of a preparation technique widespread above all in the Middle East. This is a very different process than Italian or American coffee. On this page we will explain how to prepare Turkish Coffee, with a full-bodied consistency and intense flavor. We will also reveal some little curiosities about the magic that surrounds this drink typical of Turkish cuisine.
Tickets for Turkish Coffee Trail: Walking Tour with Coffee Making Course & Tasting
What is Turkish coffee
The term Turkish Coffee, therefore, refers to an ancient preparation, which has its roots in the Ottoman Empire. It was in the 1500s that the first cafes in Istanbul were born, places used for socializing and entertainment, also frequented by educated and intellectual people.
Centuries have passed since then, but coffee continues to play a very important role in Turkish society, embodying the values of traditional culture, first of all the famous hospitality. It is not surprising that, in 2013, the Türk Kahvesi was inscribed on the Unesco list of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Turkish coffee: preparation
To prepare a good Turkish Coffee you need love and patience. This drink, in fact, should be made and enjoyed slowly, forgetting for a moment the frenetic pace of everyday life, to carve out a space to dedicate to oneself and one’s guests.
The procedure almost resembles a magical ritual and is very different from what we are used to with mocha and espresso. This type of coffee is prepared by infusion, requires a very fine coffee powder and is made using a particular tool called cezve or ibrik, a jug made of brass or copper, with an elongated handle. In Turkey it is often served accompanied by sweets based on sugar and starch: the lokum.
Ingrediants
– a teaspoon per person of light or medium roasted coffee, very finely ground (about 100-200 microns);
– 65 grams of water per person;
– sugar to taste, depending on how much you want to sweeten the drink.
Method
Fill the cezve with water; Add the sugar (sugar must always be put in this phase, not at the end); Put on the fire and bring to a boil; Remove the cezve from the heat and add the coffee; Put the cezve back on the heat and boil two more times. It is important to remove the jug from the heat at each boil.
At this point, the Turkish Coffee will have reached the typical dense consistency that characterizes it. Since it is not filtered, before drinking it it is necessary to let it rest for a few minutes to allow the sediment to settle on the bottom of the cups. Coffee grounds, on the other hand, should not be drunk, also because they can be used for a magical and curious practice, which we will talk about briefly.
The ancient art of caffeomancy
If the coffee grounds are not to be drunk, they should not be thrown away either. These are in fact used in caffeomancy, an ancient divination practice very widespread in Turkey and which consists in reading coffee grounds. But how does it work? To take a look at your future, after drinking the coffee, you should cover the cup with a saucer and turn it upside down, so that it is upside down on the plate, then wait for it to cool and then interpret the shapes that have been created inside it.
Now that you know a little more about Turkish Coffee and its preparation, you just have to visit one of the many cafes in Istanbul or try to make it at home with your family and friends!
You may also be interested in also discovering Turkish tea (çay)
