Classic black or spiced with Cardamom, Turkish coffee will always inspire and motivate you in the morning, midday or afternoon. It is perfect for entertaining guests as you enjoy fine ground black coffee, continuing hundred of years’ tradition. The Turkish coffee is an inseparable part of Israeli culture, Jewish home and can be found in every coffee lover’s kitchen and daily routine.
Yet, the process of making fine Turkish coffee doesn’t entail only boiling water, adding coffee and mixing it with sweetener or Cardamom. But, it is rather a complex process, a ceremony some may say that one has to master to really enjoy all the benefits and rich flavor of the ground coffee. Follow the steps below to become an expert in the art of making black Turkish coffee. But, first a bit about the history of Turkish coffee:
Origin of Coffee
The black Turkish coffee originates from Istanbul. The first "coffee shop" in Istanbul was established in the 1470s, soon after the Turks won the city. Since alcohol was banned in the Ottoman Empire, coffee became the social drink of the Islamic Middle East. A rich coffee house culture exists even today in Istanbul, Israel and other Middle Eastern countries.
Classic Coffee Making Ceremony
First, the coffee must be grinded, then you should use the traditional Turkish Long-handled and bell-shaped pot called an ibrik, also known as cezve.
Preparation
1. Measure the amount of cold water you will need.
2. Place your pot of water on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high (just until the water heats up).
3. Add about 1-2 heaping tea spoons (or 1 tablespoon) of coffee per demitasse cup (3 oz). A Turkish coffee cup is slightly larger than a traditional espresso demitasse. Do not stir it yet. Just let the coffee "float" on the surface because if you stir it now you might cause it to clump up.
4. Add sugar to taste. Do not stir it yet, Let the water warm up little bit as above.
5. When the coffee starts to sink into the water and the water is warm enough to dissolve your sugar, stir it several times and then turn down the heat to low. You should stir it several times; up until your brew starts to foam (you can also vigorously move your spoon side to side to encourage starting the foaming).
6. When you see the bubble "ring" forming on the surface, turn down the heat a little bit more or move your pot away from the heat source. Pay attention to the bubbles that are forming at this stage. Bubbles should be very small in size.
7. From this point on watch your coffee carefully. Do not let the temperature get hot enough to start boiling. (NEVER LET IT BOIL – many instructions on how to make Turkish coffee use the term "boiling" but this is totally inaccurate) The key idea here is to let the coffee build a thick froth and that occurs approximately around 158 F or 70 C (i.e., much cooler than the boiling point of water which is 212 F or 100 C at standard pressure. If your brew comes to a boil, you will not have any foam because it will simply evaporate!).
8. Keep it at the "foaming" stage as long as you can without letting it come to a boil. You might even gently stir your brew a little bit at this stage. The more froth, the better it will taste. Also your coffee must be fresh or it will not foam as well. If your brew gets too hot and begins to "rise", then move it away from the heat or just turn it down. You are almost done. Repeat this process until your foam has "risen" and "cooled" at the most couple of times (NOT 3-4 times like some instructions. Even once is enough). Then pour in to your cups (quickly at first to get out the foam, then slowly) while making sure that each cup has equal amount of foam! If you are serving several cups then you might be better off spooning the foam into each cup.
Serving
Traditionally Turkish coffee is served with a small glass of water to allow the drinker to cleanse his or her palate, and a small piece of Turkish delight or baklava on the saucer.
So, do you think you have what it takes to master this art? It’s not an easy task, but if you are a genuine coffee lover, it will be a no-brainer for you! Share this guide with your Turkish coffee lovers and visit our guide for 5 of the best Israeli snacks and candy to discover which ones can go with your freshly ground coffee and perfect for entertaining!
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