Never Drink Alone: A Guide to Turkish Coffee

Out of all caffeinated rituals, Turkish java takes nan (coffee) cake. That’s because, according to immoderate experts, Turkish java isn't a type of coffee—it’s a cooking method. Commonly seen crossed Middle Eastern cultures, nan beverage looks and acts akin to espresso, served successful a mini cup and tasting very rich | yet very different.

Turkish java is made pinch java ground finer than espresso (the perfect Turkish java grind has a flourlike consistency) and a brewing process that involves boiling 3 times. It's an unfiltered drink, truthful nan java grounds yet settee to nan bottommost of nan cup. The grounds make for a heavy drink, but they besides play an important domiciled successful nan auspicious ritual of luck telling, a believe that yet inspired my emotion for nan brew.

My preamble to Turkish java was pinch my sister’s Iranian family (we person different fathers. Her father, Ali, is from Iran). Upon visiting them to observe nan Persian New Year, my sister’s aunt made Turkish java aft meal 1 evening and a family friend proceeded to “read” nan java grounds and show america our fortunes (I dive into nan specifics of this process much below). While I cannot adhere to nan validity of luck telling, I will opportunity that nan family friend predicted I’d person a son. That was complete 10 years ago. At nan extremity of 2024, I gave commencement to my first child, a patient babe boy.

But you don’t person to get your luck told to bask Turkish coffee. You besides don’t person to hunt excessively acold and wide crossed nan java forums to find beardown opinions astir nan beardown java and really it should beryllium made. This was perchance my biggest setback successful research, arsenic location are those who propose opening nan brew pinch basking water, while others propose acold water. Some propose sugar, others without. Some propose precocious heat, others low. You mightiness person moreover seen Turkish java being prepared successful sand. (The proprietor astatine my section Palestinian deli tells maine that this is mostly a tourer gimmick.)

So, to nan java nerds, nan anal and nan meticulous, if you’re hoping for a “right” measurement to make Turkish coffee, I dislike to disappoint you. Those who make Turkish java successful their location regularly measurement and brew pinch their heart, and each family has a akin but almost ever somewhat different method. It’s your preferences that will yet guideline nan ins and outs of your brewing.

Table of Contents

• What Is Turkish Coffee?
• The Process
• The Tradition of Fortune Telling
• Turkish Coffee Recipe

What Is Turkish Coffee?

Turkish java is often served successful a cup that's usually nary much than 2 ounces. It mightiness look akin to espresso, but while espresso is brewed nether precocious pressure, Turkish java is brewed by boiling finely crushed (even much good of a grind than espresso) java successful a cezve. A cezve (referred to arsenic an ibrik successful different countries for illustration Palestine) is simply a mini cookware pinch a agelong handle, usually holding astir 10 to 15 ounces and made retired of copper.

Generally, Turkish java is boiled successful nan cezve successful 3 parts. After each boil, a mini magnitude is poured into nan java cup. The cezve is returned to nan stove aft each move until you’ve filled your cups. The process of boiling nan java aggregate creates a heavy and frothy java that is very beardown and very aromatic.

Ideally, Turkish java is crushed pinch a accepted Turkish java grinder like this. Because Turkish java is crushed to a fineness that astir commercialized coffee grinders cannot achieve, your champion stake is to bargain it pre-ground (I’ve suggested a fewer brands below). I almost considered utilizing my Sana Grain Mill (8/10, WIRED Recommends) to spot if I could execute nan grind, but didn’t want to consequence nan java spirit successful my homemade flour.

The Process

Traditionally, finely crushed Turkish java is mixed pinch h2o successful a cezve, on pinch immoderate sugar, depending connected your preferences. You’ll bring nan java to a boil connected low/medium power complete an unfastened flame, usually successful 3 parts. The first boil will create a foam (think crema, arsenic seen successful different java drinks). This foam is basal to Turkish coffee, arsenic nan drink’s frothy thickness makes it guidelines retired from others. Some recipes propose utilizing a spoon to scoop nan first foam into your prepared cups. Otherwise, you’ll usage nan cezve to move it into your prepared java cups a small astatine a time. Put nan cezve backmost connected nan stove to boil and repetition this process doubly much until you’ve filled your java cups to nan rim.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s important to statement that, dissimilar different java styles successful which technicality is prioritized pinch scales and thermometers, you’ll spot neither of these aspects travel into play erstwhile making Turkish coffee. With roots that day backmost to nan 16th period successful nan Ottoman Empire, Turkish java is simply a portion integrated into and calved of a culture. So, deliberation of Turkish java for illustration your grandma’s cooking—a look acts arsenic a guide, but it is yet a process that is led pinch nan heart.

The Tradition of Fortune Telling

You whitethorn not spot overmuch banal successful auspicious practices, and I don’t blasted you. But successful lawsuit you’re curious, location are traditions to beryllium respected.

The fortune-telling process originates erstwhile you’ve vanished your drink. You’ll spot your java cup upside down connected its saucer. The grounds will drip and scatter, and this is what nan luck teller will analyse to find your fortune.

Just arsenic my family friend publication my java grounds connected that fateful time 10 years ago, nan believe of luck telling done Turkish java should beryllium done by someone who is knowledgeable successful nan craft. It is powerfully suggested that you do not effort to publication your ain fortune.

This enactment of luck telling besides establishes thing important erstwhile it comes to Turkish coffee: It's a societal activity—something meant to beryllium enjoyed pinch company. It’s not a science. A awesome illustration of this is my section Palestinian deli utilizing basking h2o to make its Turkish coffee. Beginning pinch basking h2o whitethorn spell against what immoderate java aficionados urge (beginning pinch acold h2o is usually perfect for immoderate brewing process to execute optimal spirit and extraction), but galore places trading Turkish java do this to velocity up nan process and service their customers much quickly. When making nan look below, don’t attraction connected being excessively technical.

Turkish Coffee Recipe

Yields 2 2-ounce cups of Turkish coffee

Equipment

• 1 cezve
• 2 mini (2 oz.) java cups

Ingredients

• 2 heaping Tbsp Turkish coffee
• 6 ounces water
• 1 tsp sweetener (optional)

Instructions

Combine Turkish coffee, sugar, and h2o successful your cezve. Stir until combined. Put cezve complete a low/medium state stove occurrence and slow bring to a boil complete a mates of minutes (if it boils excessively fast, it’s harder to create nan first foam). Once boiling to nan top, quickly return nan cezve disconnected nan stove and move a mini magnitude into your prepared cups (about half an ounce).

Return nan cezve to nan unfastened occurrence and bring to a boil. Repeat steps 3 to 4 doubly much until you’ve filled your cups to nan brim. Serve immediately.