Turkish Coffee

[Suu]

This is something you actual sip instead of slam in the morning, and actually I would recommend more as a social beverage than a caffeine jolt. This is an actual period (Ottoman) recipe that's still very popular today in Mediterranean cultures, it's just a bitch to brew.

I remember it because I got to have some this past weekend at the SCA event. 

This is seriously the easiest preparation recipe I can find online, some of them are much more involved. Also, it's traditional to bring it to a frothy boil 4 times, not just 2.

Turkish coffee is famed for the way it is made. It is prepared in an ibrik, a small coffee pot that is heated. Sugar is added during the brewing process, not after, so the need for a serving spoon is eliminated. Cream or milk is never added to Turkish coffee, and sugar is optional. It is always served in demitasse cups.

Ingredients:

    * 1 cup water
    * 1 tablespoon of extra finely ground coffee (powder consistency)
    * 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1 cardamom pod
    * sugar (optional)

Preparation:
Bring water and sugar to a boil in ibrik. If you do not have an ibrik, a small saucepan will work.

Remove from heat and add coffee and cardamom.

Return saucepan to heat and allow to come to a boil. Remove from heat when coffee foams.

Again, return to heat, allowing to foam and remove from heat.

Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.Cardamom pod may be served in cup for added flavor.

Turkish Coffee Tips

    * Turkish coffee must always be served with foam on top.
    * If you can't find finely ground Arabic coffee, you can purchase a bag of coffee at any coffeehouse and ask them to grind it for Turkish coffee. You need to have a powder-like consistency.
    * Do not stir after pouring into cups; the foam will collapse.
    * Always use cold water.



It should pretty much look like sludge, but if you really like coffee, it's FUCKING AWESOME.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I love Turkish coffee.

After 5 years working for a coffee company during my formative years, I pretty much hate coffee and all coffee-flavored things, but I still love Turkish coffee.

[Triple Zero]

I had Turkish coffee when I was in Turkey a few times. I always wondered how to make it, the process didnt seem that hard, but they told me you need a special kind of coffee to do it. which I can imagine, since it seemed to have a special kind of chocolat-ish flavour to it, but that would have been the kardemom, then.

i dunno if it really had foam on it, though. unless you count the yellow brownish scum i see in the picture as foam, in which case, yes, but you get that automatically from not filtering it.

thanks for the recipe, cause this means i can make it now! i have kardemom, and i have coffee (ok not powder-fine, but w/e).

[Cainad (dec.)]

I had Turkish coffee when I was in Turkey a few times. I always wondered how to make it, the process didnt seem that hard, but they told me you need a special kind of coffee to do it. which I can imagine, since it seemed to have a special kind of chocolat-ish flavour to it, but that would have been the kardemom, then.

Probably, but the texture of it probably lended it some chocolate-like qualities.

[fomenter]

I love Turkish coffee I have only ever had it once but WOW, recipe copied and saved...

On the topic of coffee i was just introduced to Illy by a friend and was able to buy a few tins, our euro spags will probably recognize the name but for Americans and others, Illy is top grade italian espresso which when made properly has the same yellow brown foam and is so strong it can only be sipped, yummy beyond words I may have to invest in a higher quality espresso maker just to do it proper justice. 

[Triple Zero]

yeah, Illy is for me, the standard what espresso is made of. it's the stuff that really made me doubt LMNOs statement of "espresso actually contains less caffeine than regular coffee"--but, we already covered that, as was to be expected, it pretty much depends on how much coffee you use (be it espresso or otherwise).

though i have to say, my friend has an espresso machine and one time he brewed something "special" with Illy that so strong it could indeed only be sipped and would send shivers of caffeinetic energy down your spine. i yet have to see a regular coffee surpass this.

[fomenter]

yes the cup of coffee had that introduced me to Illy was that strong it was made in a Illy brand machine, undoubtedly many grades better than the Mr coffee machine i have.   Starbucks and any thing i have made in the past became a cup of brown water in comparison , the only exception is the Turkish coffee i got to try a long time ago.

[Suu]

Turkish coffee needs to be a powder consistency, if you have your own grinder you can probably do it, if not when you buy beans at a supermarket or even Starbucks they can do it.

[Triple Zero]

Turkish coffee needs to be a powder consistency, if you have your own grinder you can probably do it, if not when you buy beans at a supermarket or even Starbucks they can do it.

the nearest starbux is like 50 miles from here

[Suu]

Turkish coffee needs to be a powder consistency, if you have your own grinder you can probably do it, if not when you buy beans at a supermarket or even Starbucks they can do it.

the nearest starbux is like 50 miles from here

I'm actually wondering what it would take to get coffee to a powder consistency in my blender...

And you aren't missing much with Starschmucks.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Yo! I'm sippin my Starbutts as we speak.

Also: Turkish coffee= total fucking win. I had some at this mediteranean (too lazy to spell it right, fuck it) restaurant and i got suckered into buying an ibrik from the guy, who was like "you have to have to make right!" and i was all "ok. damn". (it was only a couple bucks though)

and: where did you get those awesome cups and saucers. the only ones i can find here are boring, cheaply made or just crap. (and they're all $12 for one cup, saucer sold separately WTF)

[Suu]

That's just some picture I found on the internets. 

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

damn 

[Triple Zero]

I'm actually wondering what it would take to get coffee to a powder consistency in my blender...

hey that's an interesting idea... only one way to find out, right?

[leln]

Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.Cardamom pod may be served in cup for added flavor.

I got talking to the guy at the event, and he also adds a couple drops of rosewater to the cup before he pours the coffee. On a side note, I really liked this stuff and I'm normally not a big coffee drinker.

Now I need to find a recipe for drinking chocolate so I can make both of the tasty beverages I sampled last weekend.