They began to tell me how the evening would go and what to expect. I was so excited about this opportunity to visit a Turkish home and experience the wonderful Turkish hospitality I had heard so much about. I remember them saying, “Don’t take the last sip of your Turkish coffee.” I heard them but dismissed the words, thinking to myself: “Oh no! More advice.” Of course, I got a mouth full of dregs. It does pay to listen to advice sometimes! Fiona Dear Fiona: If you have never had Turkish coffee, it is easy to think it is like espresso and drink to the last drop -- but in this case it is not a drop, it’s just dregs! Now that you have that unpleasant experience behind you, I’ll explain how to make a proper cup of Turkish coffee yourself!
Making Turkish coffee is an art.
To make great Turkish coffee you first of all need to buy a narrow-topped small boiling pot called a cezve (basically a small pan with a long-handle), and then find a teaspoon and a heating flame.
Traditionally, the pot is made of copper and has a wooden handle. The size of the pot is chosen to be close to the total volume of the cups to be prepared, since using too large a pot causes most of the precious foam to stick to the inside of it. Also, a certain depth of water is necessary in order for the coffee particles to sink. For heating, an ordinary stove burner is sufficient, but an overly strong heat source is undesirable, as the brewing time needs to be at least five minutes.
You don’t use normal coffee (e.g., Nescafe from a jar). The ingredients are finely ground Turkish coffee, sometimes cardamom, cold water and (if desired) sugar.
How can we prepare a perfect cup of Turkish coffee?
For best results, the water must be cold. Therefore, if sugar is desired, you should use granulated sugar, not sugar cubes. The amount of water necessary can be measured using the cups. The coffee and the sugar are usually added to water, rather than being put into the pot first. For each cup, between one and two heaped teaspoons of coffee are used
How sweet do you like it? In Turkey, four degrees of sweetness are used. The Turkish terms and approximate amounts are as follows: sade (plain; no sugar), az şekerli (little sugar; half a leveled teaspoon of sugar), orta şekerli (medium sugar; one leveled teaspoon), and çok şekerli (a lot of sugar; one and a half or two leveled teaspoons).
The coffee and the desired amount of sugar are stirred until all coffee sinks and the sugar is dissolved. Following this, the spoon is removed and the pot is put on the fire. No stirring is done beyond this point, as it would dissolve the foam. A well-prepared Turkish coffee has a thick layer of air-bubbles at the top (köpük in Turkish). Just as the coffee begins boiling, the pot is removed from the fire and the coffee is poured into the cups.
Turkish coffee is served in cups (fincan) similar in size to Italian espresso or Japanese sake cups. Modern cups have handles. Traditional cups did not, and coffee was drunk either by handling the cup with the fingertips or, more often, by placing the cup in a zarf, a metal container with a handle.
Coffeehouses have been very popular over the centuries. Coffee has affected Turkish culture so much that the word breakfast (kahvaltı) in Ottoman Turkish literally means “before coffee.” More recently, Turkish coffee in Turkey has partly lost its popularity in favor of tea, instant coffee and other modern coffee variations. Starbucks and Gloria Jeans are the 21st century equivalents of the McDonald’s fast food invasion of the 20th century.
Turkish coffee is drunk slowly and is usually served with a glass of cold water to freshen the mouth so you can taste the coffee better (or for those who swallow the dregs!).
Remember: All the coffee in the pot is poured into cups, but not all of it is drunk. The thick layer of sludgy grounds at the bottom of the cup is left behind.
You’re right Fiona. It does pay to heed some advice. I will talk a little more about advice and Turks next time.
Note: Keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
