I wanted to do a post about making Turkish coffee 1. because it is a delightful way to spend an afternoon with friends and 2. because it is so relaxing and delightful to partake in that I enjoy it as something to ground me after I have done a spell or a ritual. If I don’t have tea, it is Turkish coffee and ONLY Turkish coffee. I like it also because of the almost ritual way it is made. Making it is very relaxing to me and it is something I have only recently gotten into. I think creating it (especially as a Kitchen Witch) could be a great way for you to both practice your craft, but also to spend time with/ treat your friends when they come over because it is so specially made.
Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) is a highly enjoyed and delightful drink to enjoy with friends and family. Turkish coffee is a traditional Turkish beverage that’s popular in Turkey and other parts of Europe and Asia. There are a few things that set Turkish coffee apart from other varieties, and the most important include the grind of the beans, the cezve used to brew the coffee, and the foam that’s created during brewing. This beverage can be brewed with spices and sugar, and it’s important to make each cup according to the preferences of the drinker. Remember, the most authentic style and best way to brew coffee, is the way you like it best!
The oldest traditional way to make Turkish coffee is having your cezve partially buried in ashes of charcoal. This is because the brew gets heated from all sides instead of just from the bottom as is the case on a stove top…this is the traditional way to make Turkish coffee which results in a brew with lots of delicious foam! But if you don’t have a charcoal pit in your kitchen, the stove top works as well!
Turkish coffees are small beverages made with strong coffee. Each cup of coffee should be made with about 2 teaspoons of coffee grounds. Arabica beans are most often used for Turkish coffee, and Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi is among the most popular brands. Turkish coffee is served in a special cup known as a fincan. Unlike much of the world that makes a full pot of coffee each time they brew, Turkish coffee is made with the exact amount of water that is going to be poured in the cup at that moment. It is not made in large quantities. The easiest way to measure the water for the coffee is to pour the water into the fincan and then pour that into your cezve. Sugar is an optional ingredient in Turkish coffee, and everybody has an individual preference. There are typically four sugar levels used to sweeten Turkish coffee:
- Sade: no sugar (unsweetened)
- Az seker: 1 teaspoon of sugar (mildly sweet)
- Orta: 2 teaspoons of sugar (sweet)
- Sekerli: 3 to 4 teaspoons of sugar (very sweet)
Items you will need to make Turkish coffee are extra fine ground coffee, a spoon, and a cezve. In Greece the pot is called briki. A cezve (pronounced jazz-ve), which is an Arabic word, refers to utensils that are used for cooking in the hot sand or coals because traditionally, Turkish coffee would be brewed in a sand and charcoal pit. It is a small long handled pot with a pouring lip designed specifically to make Turkish coffee. It is traditionally made of brass or copper, and occasionally also silver or gold. Some people call the Turkish coffee pot an “ibrik”, which is a Persian word for containers used for carrying water; usually for washing face, feet, etc., and are much larger than a coffee pot.
Turkish coffee is made with finely ground coffee beans. Most coffee grinders will not grind any finer than espresso, but even espresso grounds are too coarse for Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee grounds have a consistency not dissimilar to icing sugar, while espresso is almost like a coarse flour. Turkish coffee grinders are typically ornate hand grinders, but you can also get electric ones (much like any other electric grinder, but featuring the grind for Turkish coffee).
Turkish coffee is made a very specific way which adds an almost ritual feel to it in my opinion. It is also very relaxing to make and satisfying to drink. Combine the coffee, water, and desired amount of sugar in the cezve and stir slowly to combine all the ingredients. You want to add the sugar beforehand because as the water heats, the sugar will slowly caramelize and disperse the taste throughout the brew, instead of masking a bitter taste in the end. Stir the coffee just before cooking, and never stir again. For an added spice, you can also stir in ⅛ teaspoon of cardamom to the cezve, or a single cardamom pod. If you also added sugar, the cardamom adds a really nice spice to your coffee that mixes well with the sweetness. If you don’t have a cezve, you can use a small saucepan instead.
Turn a gas stove to low flame, or an electric stove to low heat. Place the pot on the heat and stir the ingredients together for one minute. After a minute, stop stirring and leave the coffee to brew. Keep the heat or flame low when you brew the coffee. You don’t want to let the water boil, or it will alter the taste of coffee, creating a more bitter taste and also destroy the foam that you want to build. This foam is called the crema. One of the most important elements of Turkish coffee is the foam that forms on top. This is a benchmark of quality. The more foam there is, the better the coffee. As the coffee brews, the dark foam will build around the rim of the beverage. This will take three to four minutes. Pay close attention to the coffee as it brews to watch for the foam, but don’t stir it.
For the right amount of froth, the trick is never boiling the coffee. The froth is at its maximum rate just before the boiling point. If the coffee looks like it might begin to boil, remove it from the heat for a few seconds to cool it down. After three to four minutes, when the foam has formed on the top of the coffee, remove the cezve from the heat and pour or spoon the foam into your fincan. Then, return the cezve to the heat. Brew the coffee for an additional 15 to 20 seconds after returning it to the heat. This will give the coffee a chance to raise again, which means coming close to a boil and creating new foam. Traditional Turkish coffee being made in bed of charcoal which would heat the coffee on all sides, not just on the bottom. This would produce a very large amount of foam and a very robust flavor of coffee.
Look at how much foam is able to be produced in the traditional charcoal manner! Far more than you ever see in regular coffees! The more finely ground the coffee, the more foam you will get. If your coffee does not foam, the coffee grind may be to course. Turkish coffee grind is even finer than espresso grind.
Tip: Pour the coffee very slowly into the cup to avoid destroying the foam you have worked so hard to create.
Some traditions call for three to four raisings (removing the cezve from the heat, pouring out the foam, and returning it to the heat), whereas some say to do this once or not at all. You can experiment with different methods to find your preferred flavors. After about 20 seconds, remove the cezve from the heat. Pour the full contents of the cezve into the fincan, foam, grounds, and all. Serve the coffee immediately while it’s still hot and fresh.
In Turkey and many other areas of the world, it is considered disrespectful to serve younger guests before older ones. When you’re making coffee for a group of people, always serve the coffee first to the older guests, and then serve according to age (from eldest to youngest). As the coffee cools in the fincan, the grounds will settle to the bottom. This will allow you to enjoy the coffee without drinking the grounds.
Let the coffee sit for at least 30 seconds before taking your first sip. Turkish coffee is often served with a few small treats or sweet snacks, and a piece of Turkish delight is a wonderful way to complement the coffee. This type of coffee is small and strong, and it’s best consumed in small sips. Not only will this help the coffee last longer, but the air you breathe in when you sip will also help aerate the coffee and bring out its flavors. This coffee is mean to be sipped slowly over time and not gulped down quickly. Partaking in coffee is a leisurely activity, not one associated with moving on the go. The final one to two sips of Turkish coffee are coffee grounds that have settled on the bottom. When you get near the end of your coffee, set it down on the saucer without drinking the last bit, otherwise you’ll get a mouthful of grounds.
Note: Turkish coffee is always served with a glass of water because it is used to clear your pallet before taking your first sip which will allow you to fully enjoy the rich flavor of the coffee.
Witch Tip: This is an awesome opportunity to try reading your future in the coffee grounds! Flip the cup upside down on the saucer and let the last bit of coffee drip out. After about a minute, turn the cup back over and begin to discern your fate!
I hope you enjoyed this simple tutorial for a new, almost meditative way to make coffee! Does anyone make their coffee this way? Do you have any tips, tricks, or suggestions for the rest of us? Leave a comment below!
From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,
