Preparing Traditional Turkish Coffee

In recent my travel to Istanbul, I researched tens of coffeehouses, and found the perfect cup, in the centuries-old Ali Pasha coffee house. Kahve, Turkish coffee, was invented by the Ottomans hundreds of years ago.

The exceptional taste, body, aroma, preparation, and presentation associated with Turkish coffee lend it an exclusive identity that is infused with time-honored tradition. Made with high-quality Arabica beans from Central America and Brazil, the coffee is first blended, then roasted to a medium-light level, and finally ground into an extra-fine grind.

Turkish coffee preparation (one cup):

Pour water into a small Turkish coffee cup called a fincan (about 1.7oz) and dispense it into a small brass cezve, coffee pot.

Pour Water into a Turkish Coffee Cup

Add two teaspoons of Turkish coffee. The grinds should be much finer than those of espresso so that they will ultimately sink to the bottom.

Add Turkish Coffee

Add up to 2 teaspoons of sugar (If desired).

Add sugar

Tip: while making the Turkish coffee, keep the fincan filled with hot water so that it keeps hot. Empty the cup just prior to pouring in the coffee.

On a small flame, stir for about one minute. Then, without stirring, let the coffee come to a boil. This should take 3-4 minutes.

Let coffee boil

Pour the coffee into the fincan in one swift movement so that all the foam is smoothly transferred.

Pour the coffee into the fincan

Serve with a small cup of fresh water (as traditionally done in Turkey).

Serve Turkish Coffee

Take a small sip of water to clear the palate and then, once the coffee grinds have sunk to the bottom, little by little, drink the coffee.

Don’t drink the grinds at the bottom. These may be used to tell your future. When you have finished your coffee, turn the cup over. Wait a few moments to let the formed coffee patterns to solid and then take a stab at fortune-telling.

Resources

Coffee Fortune Telling With a Turkish Coffee Pot – Fortune telling with Turkish Coffee.

The World’s First Coffee Pot: Turkish Coffee – Additional tips on making Turkish coffee.

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Eyal Rosen

From the Jerusalem Post: "A self-proclaimed 'coffee geek,' Eyal Rosen recently traveled all over the world visiting coffee houses in search of the ultimate cup of coffee for his forthcoming book, Coffee Tales. From Istanbul to Paris, Rome to Vienna and finally Seattle, Rosen was surprised that his favorite cup of coffee turned out to be in Istanbul..."