What Is the Best Traditional Turkish Coffee – What Makes It Unique?

There are various kinds and styles of coffee in the world and they all have different effects on each of us. They are also prepared differently—Italian espresso is for those that need a short time of waiting, while American coffee is more diluted. However, have you wondered about Turkish coffee and where you can get the best traditional Turkish coffee? Well, you’re in the right article because you will learn what makes Turkish coffee unique and the delicate process it undergoes to get you running. Read on!

What Makes Turkish Coffee Unique?

Before learning what the best traditional Turkish coffee is, you need to know first why such coffee is unique! Brewing Turkish coffee is in itself an art and discipline that showcases the beauty of Turkish culture and tradition. It requires special preparation and combines it with delicate brewing techniques that show the communal tradition of the Turkish people. Recently, Turkish coffee tradition and culture have become part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. That is in part because Turkish coffee is an essential part of Turkish culture through the celebration of it in its literature and other forms of art. However, that is not the only validation that Turkish coffee is splendidly unique. The brewing and preparation of Turkish coffee symbolize Turkish hospitality, friendship, amusement, entertainment, and lifestyle in every aspect of Turkish life. It is not just coffee.

What is the Cezve?

The Cezve, or Briki for the Greeks, or Turka for the Russians, is a tall, narrow pot, with a long handle used to brew traditional Turkish coffee. Its body is usually copper. However, at present, manufacturers have developed cezves made from stainless steel, silver, or even ceramic! This pot is a tradition in itself. You can never brew coffee and call it Turkish coffee without using a cezve.

Brewing Turkish Coffee

How do you brew the best traditional Turkish coffee, you ask? Well, it looks simple to prepare, but it demands care and attention for you to be able to brew it right. Here is how you do it:

• Grinding the beans: Turkish coffee requires arabica beans, however, you can use robusta beans, too. (Robusta gives your coffee a better looking, nicer, and thicker foam). You need to grind the beans into an ultrafine powder.
• Into the cezve: Once you are done with your beans, get your cezve. Add a cup of cold water and one teaspoon of your ground arabica. Each teaspoon serving depends on the number of people you will serve. If you have five people in the room with you, you need to add the same amount of cup of water and teaspoon of ground coffee. You can add sugar if you want to (do not stir, though, to give your coffee a balanced sweet taste).
• Warm it gently: Place your cezve over a heat source and have it warmed gently for one to two minutes and bring the mixture with a teaspoon.
• Wait for the foam: Wait until a thick foam appears atop your cezve. Lift the cezve off the heating source and skim the foam into your fincan, the traditional Turkish coffee cup. Then return it to the heating source. Once it foams again, you pour and serve. Do it as many times as the number of guests you have.

Turkish Coffee and Traditions

As mentioned, Turkish coffee is intricately linked with Turkish culture and tradition and has a deep effect on its many social and political interactions, such as betrothal and wedding customs, gender customs, prayers, and hospitality traditions. Turkish coffee has become an integral part. Also, Turkish coffee is not only a drink but has also become a communal practice that brings people together and develops their social values and beliefs.

• Turkish Betrothal: Turkish betrothal traditions make use of Turkish coffee brewing especially when the family of the groom asks for the blessing from the parents of the bride. The bride-to-be prepares the coffee, while the groom has to drink the coffee. The bride-to-be has to perfect the taste of the Turkish coffee if she wants to be accepted into the family of the groom. The groom-to-be will only have to finish drinking the coffee, and if he does not complain, it means he is a man of good character and is ready to marry the woman.
• Turkish Fortune-telling: Another Turkish tradition that involves coffee is that when a guest drinks the coffee, the guest will then turn the fincan upside down on its saucer to allow it to cool. The host will then perform a fortune reading of the coffee grounds remaining in the cup.
• Lack of foam: During the preparation of Turkish coffee, if there is no foam, the host will be embarrassed and loses face.

Conclusion

Now you know where to find the best traditional Turkish coffee! Not only that, but you finally learned what makes Turkish coffee unique and how to even brew a cup of Turkish coffee! Isn’t that great? Always remember that each culture in the world has different ways of preparing your favorite drink and that is more evident for the Turkish people, which highly values coffee and made it an essential and integral part of their culture. Hopefully, you’ve learned a lot from this and that you will go out in the world and make tasting Turkish coffee an adventure. Learn more about coffee drinks.