Everything you need to know about Turkish coffee

A trip to Starbucks might be a fine way to start most days, but you should never think that any global chain defines how coffee should be enjoyed. The world is filled with different coffee drinking traditions, and each offers a unique way to enjoy the world’s most beloved bean-based beverage.

If you’re looking to expand your culinary horizons, then a great place to start is by exploring Turkey’s coffee traditions. You don’t have to be Turkish to enjoy Turkish coffee, and in this guide, we’ll show you how.

Preparing Turkish Coffee

If you want to make your Turkish coffee the traditional way you should start looking for a special pot called a cezve. You don’t have to use a cezve to make Turkish coffee, but it really helps to set the mood.

For every cup, you want to make you need to mix together a cup of water, 2 teaspoons of coffee grounds, and as much sugar as you want. Please note that you need to add sugar to the mixture in the pot, Turkish purists wouldn’t imagine adding sugar later on.

Once everything is mixed up in the cezve, it’s time to heat it up. Let the mixture come to a boil, keeping a close eye on it so you can remove it just as it’s about to boil over. Timing is crucial; you don’t want to spill your coffee or remove the pot without letting it foam up. The foam is an essential part of the Turkish coffee experience.

Once your coffee is all foamed up, you should pour it into a small coffee cup that is set alongside a glass of water and any treats you might want to have with your drink. You should also set aside some time because the Turkish way of drinking coffee is all about taking your time.

For the best possible experience, you should be drinking your coffee with friends so you can chat over your freshly brewed drink. Even if you’re alone, you should.

The Turkish Way To Enjoy Coffee

Glimpsing Your Future

One of the more unique elements of the Turkish coffee experience is its supernatural side. That’s right, in Turkey a cup of coffee isn’t just a good morning pick-me-up, it can also be a crystal ball into your future. You might have noticed that the Turkish process of making coffee doesn’t include filters. This is because Turks can use the grounds that are left over at the bottom of their cup to tell the future!

Once you’re done drinking, you can cover the glass so that the grounds are sealed in and then flip the cup so that the grounds slide down the sides of the cup. Abstract shapes will be left on the cup that can be read to tell your future. You can either take the cup to a fortune teller or do some research to find out what the shapes mean for yourself. It’ a little like how Chinese meals in America end with a fortune cookie, except the fortunes are built into the drink itself.

Taking Time To Appreciate The Finer Things

While the Turkish coffee experience has some unique flourishes, the basic idea is something people can understand all across the globe. Turks take the time to appreciate their coffee and everything that goes with it.

It’s not a drink that is meant to be slurped down without thinking; it’s meant to be cherished and enjoyed. That’s the essence of Turkish coffee culture, and it’s something that you can appreciate even if you prefer espresso.