Countries around the world have distinct coffee cultures. They each have their own way of preparing and drinking coffee at different times of the day.
Türkiye has one of the most renowned coffee cultures. To this day, the country's traditional coffee shops remain undisturbed by any trend or global chain.
Turkish coffee
Coffee was introduced to Turkey in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The country's first coffee shop was opened in the 1640s by Ibrahim Pecevi. From then on, people developed their own style of coffee preparation, which they called "Turkish coffee."
Unlike other coffees around the world, Turkish coffee is roasted and finely ground. Although no specific types of beans are used, what makes it unique is that its coffee is ground to the finest possible powder. The coffee beans are ground by pounding them in a mortar and pestle or using a burr grinder.
Turkish coffee is a coffee prepared in a specific way. It is common throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Somaliland, and the Balkan countries. The preparation method is believed to have originated in Damascus and became widespread during the Ottoman Empire, hence the final name "Turkish coffee." Coffee culture is highly developed in the Balkan region, where this type of coffee is the dominant preparation method. Regarding the preparation characteristics of Turkish coffee, it is the oldest method of coffee preparation. It consists of foam, coffee, and grounds. It is a type of coffee that leaves a lasting taste on the palate thanks to its soft, velvety foam.
With its thick syrup, it extremely stimulates the taste buds in the mouth and creates a lasting impression in the mind. It is smoother, more aromatic, and has a firmer flavor than other types of coffee . It is easy to distinguish from others by its characteristic aroma and foam. It is the only coffee whose grounds are used for fortune telling. It is unique in that the coffee grounds do not need to be filtered, as they sink to the bottom of the cup after cooking. Since the sugar is added during cooking, there is no need to add sugar later, as is the case with other coffees.
Deemed by UNESCO as Turkey's intangible cultural heritage, Turkish coffee also comes in four degrees of sweetness. One is sade, which is simple without sugar. The second is az sekerli, with a little sugar, about half a teaspoon. The third is orta sekerli, or medium sugar (one teaspoon), and the fourth is cok sekerli, or with a lot of sugar (one and a half to two teaspoons).
But... why do they put salt in coffee?
In a traditional Turkish wedding, coffee is an important part of the celebration. It plays an important role in the pre-wedding event when the groom's parents visit the bride's family to ask for the bride-to-be's hand and obtain her parents' blessings. During this family gathering, the bride is expected to serve Turkish coffee to her guests.
But that's not all. For the groom's coffee, the bride-to-be may use salt instead of sugar as a form of character check. If the man drinks his coffee without complaint, he is said to be patient and good-natured. During the meeting, the groom's family also judges the woman's coffee-making skills.
In other parts of the country, however, this act is said to demonstrate a woman's lack of desire to marry the man. In today's world, many people no longer follow this tradition and are now seeking more advice on love and relationships.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to prepare traditional Turkish coffee:
- Pour cold water into the coffee maker (one cup of cold water for every cup you would like to serve plus an extra half cup for the pot).
- Add one teaspoon of ground Turkish coffee per cup to the water. Sugar can be added to suit your taste.
- Heat the pot as slowly as possible. For best flavor, it's important to keep the heat as low as possible. Also, be sure to prevent it from boiling over when the water boils.
- When the water boils, pour a little coffee equally between the cups, filling each cup about a quarter to a third of the way. This way, you can serve the coffee with a good portion of the foam that forms on top of the pot. The foam in Turkish coffee is very important and is created when the infusion sits on the stove without being stirred.
- Continue heating until the coffee returns to a boil and pour the remaining coffee between the cups.
Turkish coffee should NOT be served to people immediately after preparation. When the drink takes on the typical syrupy flavor, it takes a few minutes for the coffee grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.