Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is made by boiling ultra-fine grounds of coffee, producing a deep, rich flavor unlike any other. A glass of cold water will help you taste the coffee flavor.
The Grind—Turkish: Powdered, like flour. Most inexpensive (blade) grinders will be unable to grind this finely. A true Turkish grind almost makes the coffee like a powder paste.
LEFT: Notice how the coffee has a thick layer of foam at the top. You can squeeze out a bit more flavor by boiling it longer, but you’ll lose this foam if you do.
- Pour cold water into an “ibrik" or "cezve," or an open coffee pot. For every 3 ounces of water add 1½ teaspoons of coffee. Let the coffee float as you turn on the stove, but don’t stir just yet.
- Turn the heat up to medium, now stir the coffee and add sugar as needed.
- Carefully watch the coffee come to its first boil. The coffee will create a circular foam ring with small bubbles called “crema” around the outside of the pot. As soon as the coffee comes to its boiling and the foam folds, remove the pot immediately off the stove before it overflows.
LEFT: Unlike other types of coffee, you’re not supposed to drink the entire cup. Stop just before you reach the thick layer of grounds at the bottom.
- Take a spoon and equally distribute the foam crema from the pot into the demitasse cups before pouring the rest of the coffee over slowly. Don’t hog all the crema for yourself—everyone should enjoy an equal amount in their cup.
The World’s First Coffee
Coffee originated in Ethiopia, where it was first used medicinally to increase vitality and drive off sleep in the 10th or 11th century. By the 14th century it had spread throughout the Middle East, reaching Istanbul in 1543. In the palace of the ottoman, a new method of roasting, grinding, and boiling coffee was developed—what we know today as “Turkish” coffee.
