Turkish kahve

Turkish Kahve is strong!   The first time I had it was at a friend’s house at 9 pm, I couldn’t sleep till 4 am!  Maybe it was the fortune that came along with it that made me think but no doubt it does keep you up.  For first-timers it may not be very good, that’s because it is an acquire taste.

Turkish coffee is made from a very finely grind coffee, cooked in a cezve (a very little stove top pot/cup with a long handle and spout, usually made of cooper).  Unlike any other coffee you might have had, Turkish Kahve has residues!  There is a lot of grind on the bottom of the cup, so you never drink to the bottom.  Instead, you sip the top, which really isn’t much, in considering that a serving is the size of an espresso.  That is another reason you got the get all that is worth of a cup.  You read the fortune from the coffee grind.   

Turkish kahve fortune

After sipping what is drinkable, you place the saucer on top.  Flip it over and then move the cup and saucer in a circular motion towards you (personal) or away from you ( depending what you want to ask.  Let it sit until it cools, you can tell by touching the bottom of the cup.  You can then lift it open and let a fortune teller read it to you.  If it does not want to open, DON’T.  It is not meant to be read.

The fortune teller will then read the little pictures formed by the coffee powder and water and tell you everything.  Even the saucer has a story.  Wash the cup if you want what you heard to come true,  if you don’t, have someone else wash it.

Making turkish kahve

Every girl is expected to make a good cup of kahve, so they can serve it to their husband or something. The process is not easy.  One of the better brands is Mehmet Efendi (pictured). 

1. Measure one cup (kahve cup, similar to an espresso cup) of water and pour it into the cezve. 
2. Add in about 2-3 teasonpoon of coffee.  Mix well.
3. Place over stove at low heat
4. Stir while it heats up
5. Scoop up the foam that starts to form on the top, that is the good stuff.  Keep doing that until it is done.
6. When it starts to bubble, it is done.  DON’T let it boil because that means it is burnt.
7. Pour all of it into the cup! Enjoy!  Great with a piece of Lokum.

You can also add sugar/milk in the beginning.  Make sure you mix the milk with water or it’ll be too thick and well the grind will not settle as well.