Since arriving in Ankara I have developed a love for Turkish coffee. I have always liked my coffee strong, but Turkish coffee is a little different, and has a thicker consistency.
When you order a Turkish coffee you are asked how you like it, this means how sweet do you want it? Sugar is added to the coffee when it is being brewed, rather than being added after. I always find that even if I ask for a little sugar, it is too sweet for me, so I always have it sade (no sugar), when I make it at home I will add one sugar cube for two cups and this is usually just right for me.
Turkish coffee is the way that the coffee is made, rather than the type of coffee bean. The coffee is ground very fine, finer than espresso, you put enough water for how many cups of coffee you want into the cezve (the special pot used for making the coffee, often made of copper), which is pictured below. You add the required amount of sugar, and then the coffee, but it is recommended not to stir at this point. It is heated slowly, in turkish homes the cooker has a small gas ring just the right size for the cezve. Traditionally though, the cezve is placed in a tray of sand which is placed above a heat source, this ensures that the coffee is heated slowly and evenly. On a recent trip to Hamamonu in Ankara, there were many cafes that prepared the coffee in this way.
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| The Cezve |
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| A cezve of coffee being heated in the traditional tray of sand |
The coffee is often served with Turkish Delight, a favourite of mine, and its sweetness compliments the bitterness of the coffee perfectly. You are always brought water with a Turkish coffee, to cleanse the palate.
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| Turkish coffee in Istanbul |
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| Turkish coffee served in a traditional cup, with water and Turkish Delight in Bolu |
The grains that are left in the coffee cup after the coffee has been drunk can be used for fortune telling. I'm generally not a believer in this and I'm sure everyone will see a different picture, but to me the grains in this cup resemble the Welsh Dragon....
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| The Welsh Dragon?? |
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