Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi)

The ancient Ottoman brew: unfiltered, foamed, and drunk with fortune in the grounds

Origin: Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (Turkey)

From the journey of Coffee.

Turkish coffee is among the oldest continuously practised brewing methods in the world and was inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. Coffee first arrived in Constantinople (Istanbul) around 1543–1554, brought by merchants from Syria, and the world's first public coffeehouse (the kahvehane) opened in the Tahtakale district of Istanbul in 1554 or 1555. These coffeehouses quickly became the intellectual and social centres of Ottoman life, nicknamed 'schools of the wise' (mekteb-i irfan) by contemporaries: men gathered to play backgammon, listen to music, hear poetry, discuss politics, and exchange news. So culturally powerful were they that Sultan Murad IV periodically attempted to ban them. The Ottoman court spread the coffee habit across Eastern Europe, the Levant, North Africa, and eventually (through Viennese and Venetian traders) to all of Europe. Turkish coffee is distinguished from all other coffee preparations by its method: extremely finely ground coffee (finer than espresso, almost a powder) is combined cold with cold water and sugar in a small long-handled copper or brass pot called a cezve (ibrik in Arab usage), then placed over a very gentle heat and brought slowly to a foam (never a boil. The foam is prized as the mark of the brewer's skill. After drinking, the cup is inverted onto the saucer and the dried grounds are 'read' for fortune) a practice called tasseography (fal bakmak) that remains widely enjoyed across Turkey, Greece, and the Arab world.

Ingredients

Base

200 ml cold water (about 100ml per cup)

Coffee

2 heaped tsp very finely ground Turkish coffee (pre-ground Turkish or Greek brand such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi)

Sweetener

1 tsp sugar, see note for levels (omit for sade, use 0.5 tsp for az şekerli, 1 tsp for orta, 2 tsp for çok şekerli)

To serve

2 small glasses cold water, to serve alongside
2 pieces Turkish delight (lokum), to serve alongside

Method

Before you begin, determine the sweetness level desired: sade (no sugar), az şekerli (a little sugar, 0.5 tsp per cup), orta (medium, 1 tsp per cup), or çok şekerli (very sweet: 2 tsp per cup). This must be decided before brewing, as sugar is never added after.
Measure the cold water into the cezve: approximately 100ml per cup. Add the finely ground coffee and the chosen amount of sugar. Do not stir yet.
Stir the mixture once to combine before placing on the heat.
Place the cezve on the lowest possible heat. Watch it closely and do not stir. As the coffee slowly heats, a dark ring of foam will begin to form around the edge and then rise toward the centre.
Just as the foam is about to break and the liquid threatens to boil (3–5 minutes), remove the cezve from heat immediately. Spoon a little of the foam into each waiting cup.
Pour the coffee very slowly into the cups, holding the cezve high to preserve the foam layer on top. The grounds should remain in the cezve: do not strain. Allow to rest for 30 seconds before drinking to let remaining grounds settle.
After drinking, if practising tasseography (fortune reading): place the saucer on top of the cup, hold firmly, and invert so the grounds run down the inside of the cup. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before lifting and 'reading' the shapes in the dried grounds.

Notes

Turkish coffee must be ground to an ultra-fine, almost talcum-powder consistency, coarser grinds will not produce the correct body or foam. Pre-ground Turkish brands (Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi is the most iconic) are widely available in Turkish, Greek, and Middle Eastern food shops and are perfectly calibrated for the cezve method. If using a burr grinder, use the finest possible setting. The cezve should be the right size for the number of cups being made, an oversized cezve for a single cup will not foam correctly. Turkish coffee is drunk without milk, always.

The Gastrographer

Name: Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi)
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 7 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Ottoman Empire
Ingredients: 200 ml cold water (about 100ml per cup); 2 heaped tsp very finely ground Turkish coffee (pre-ground Turkish or Greek brand such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi); 1 tsp sugar, see note for levels (omit for sade, use 0.5 tsp for az şekerli, 1 tsp for orta, 2 tsp for çok şekerli); 2 small glasses cold water, to serve alongside; 2 pieces Turkish delight (lokum), to serve alongside

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