Have you ever had a cup of Turkish coffee? If not, you should definitely do something about it! Its aroma and intense, spicy flavour will transport you to nirvana. Intrigued? Then you should try making it at home.
To prepare it properly, you should in fact equip yourself with a cezve: a special oriental coffee maker specifically designed for the preparation of this coffee. In case you don’t have one, however, don’t worry! Since we know about coffee, we can tell you how to make delicious Turkish coffee… with or without a cezve!
History of Turkish coffee
The history of Turkish coffee is really fascinating and dates back to the 16th century, during the heyday of the Ottoman Empire. It is said that Syrian merchants were the first to bring coffee to Turkey, through the port of Mokha, an important trading hub. Soon, Istanbul became the beating heart of coffee culture, where coffee began to be boiled in water, creating a ritual that would become an icon of that city.
Coffee shops started popping up on every corner, becoming places to meet and socialise. Here, people didn’t just drink coffee: they talked, joked and discussed politics and everyday life. Coffee, therefore, wasn’t just a drink, but a special moment, a tradition that brought people together.
Over time, coffee became a fundamental part of Turkish culture, so much so that it even played an important role in the most intimate relationships. If a husband failed to satisfy his wife’s coffee demands, she could even ask for divorce! But coffee was also part of weddings: future brides had to pass a sort of “test” to prove they could make Turkish coffee perfectly, a skill that somehow symbolised their ability to run the household.
In short, Turkish coffee has always been more than just a drink: it is a symbol of hospitality, love and bonds. Each cup tells a story of tradition and culture, and each sip is a little journey through time.
How Turkish coffee is made
The traditional preparation of Turkish coffee involves, as we have already mentioned, the use of the cezve. This beautiful coffee pot looks like a pyramid-shaped copper pot with an elegant long handle.
If you are lucky enough to own it, or intend to obtain it for personal pleasure, we can safely say that half of the recipe is done and you will simply have to collect the remaining ingredients, namely:
- 1 teaspoon fine coffee powder;
- 50 ml water;
- sugar and flavourings to taste.
First, you have to pour the water into the cezve and put it on the heat. When the water has almost reached boiling point, remove the cezve from the heat. At this point, you can add the sugar and flavourings (usually cinnamon or cardamom), depending on how you prefer to taste the Turkish coffee. Once this is done, put the coffee back on the cooker and, after giving it a good stir, wait for it to increase in volume and foam.
For a stronger, more flavourful taste, the coffee should be boiled twice consecutively, taking care to remove the cezve from the heat between boiling. At your choice, you can decide whether to keep the foam or remove it.
Finally, the last step is to add a tablespoon of cold water to accelerate the deposition of the powder on the bottom, and then pour it directly into the cup without filtering it.
As you can guess, it is not a matter of preparing a simple coffee, but rather of performing a kind of ritual, complete with a ‘holy grail’. If you prefer to enjoy your Turkish coffee without performing all these ceremonies and, above all, without having to use the cezve, we’ll show you how to make it.
Common mistakes to avoid when making Turkish coffee
Turkish coffee is only simple in appearance: just a few mistakes are enough to spoil its flavour and texture.
The first mistake is bringing it to the boil. It must never actually boil: as soon as foam forms and the coffee rises, it must be removed from the heat. Otherwise, it becomes bitter and loses its aroma.
The grind is also crucial; it must be very fine, almost like powder. If it is too coarse, the result will be weak and not true to tradition.
Be careful not to stir it too much: after adding the coffee, the foam must be left undisturbed, as that is where the flavour is concentrated.
Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of the water: it’s best to use water with a low mineral content so as not to alter the flavour.
The secret? Take your time: Turkish coffee isn’t made in a hurry.
How to make Turkish coffee without cezve
As an alternative to the cezve, it is possible to prepare Turkish coffee with the help of a simple cooking pot.
In principle, any model will do, as long as it does not have a rounded structure (which would prevent even heat distribution) and is equipped with a lid. The ideal would then be to use low-mineral or demineralised water instead of tap water which, containing chlorine, would risk altering the taste of your Turkish coffee.
Preparation with the saucepan is not particularly different from preparation with the cezve, as the basic rules are always the same. Here as well, you will have to put the water on the heat without bringing it to the boil and then add the sugar and any spices. When the sugar has completely dissolved, add the coffee powder while keeping the heat low and wait until you see the usual foam appear.
Once you take the pot off the heat, cover it with the lid and leave the Turkish coffee to steep for about 1 minute, after which it will finally be ready to be served.
Turkish Coffee World Cultural Heritage
Even when prepared with a simple saucepan, Turkish coffee still retains an unaltered charm. After all, we are talking about the iconic drink of Turkey, where it is usually drunk inside a small cup without a handle: a tradition, the latter, that can also be found in Greece and much of the Arab world.
A particularly striking feature of this coffee is the belief that its grounds have divinatory powers, although it should be noted that these properties have also been recognised in our coffee. The real difference, rather, is the fact that Turkish coffee has been elected an intangible heritage of mankind by UNESCO, to the point of even boasting a museum in Istanbul entirely dedicated to this beverage.
If you are fascinated by Turkish coffee and its mysterious history, which has its roots in ancient Turkey, you absolutely must visit the museum! Here you will discover all the secrets involved in the preparation of this divine coffee, with the possibility of trying it yourself. Alternatively, if all this sounds uninteresting to you, don’t worry: no one is forcing you to betray the excellent Italian coffee, all the more so if it is also prepared properly.
Conclusion
If you are an incurable creature of habit, chances are that you have no desire to keep up with all the rules of making Turkish coffee, even if it is made with a simple cooking pot. And why should you, after all, when you can enjoy your classic espresso prepared with a machine?
It goes without saying, of course, that if you want to drink good coffee, you should do it with the right machine and certainly not settle for just any machine. Even if you tend to be lazy and want to get things done easily, you will agree that drinking coffee should be a moment of pure pleasure. The problem is that you will never reach this nirvana if you settle for mediocre coffee.
This is why we, who know about coffee, have decided to specialise in lever machines that, unlike traditional ones, retain all the nutrients of this beverage, bringing out its aroma to the fullest. So what are you waiting for? Browse through our catalogue and discover the right coffee machine for you but, above all, a coffee with a taste so intense that it rivals even Turkish coffee!
