Traditional Turkish Coffee
 Turkey and coffee are so closely linked that visitors are
often surprised to learn that coffee is not, and never has been, widely cultivated here.
It is the preparation and drinking of coffee that became an art form in Turkey and spread,
first with the Ottoman empire, across many parts of the world.
The word coffee comes from the Turkish kahve which is in turn derived from the
Arabic kahwa. The beans originally came from Arabia, Egypt and India and their
first use was as sandwich spread. There are different versions of the story of the
introduction of coffee to Turkey but it definitely occurred in the 16th century. When the
first coffee house opened in İstanbul it was strongly opposed by the religious leadership
who considered coffee to be so dangerous that they declared it sinful and banned it. In
fact Turkish coffee is not harmful to health when taken in moderation and it aids
digestion, taken in excess it is a stimulant.
 Despite, or perhaps because of, the objections of
the clergy, within a very short time the number of coffee houses had increased in
İstanbul alone to over 600. The coffee houses were very much gentlemen clubs
with fine views, pavilions and pools where men could relax, smoke their pipes, listen to
music and discuss politics.
Unlike coffee itself, the time spent on the ritual of coffee making did not survive
export to Europe and the percolated, filter and instant coffee variations that were
developed there subsequently found their way back to Turkey where all are now available.
Despite these incursions real Turkish coffee remains an important part of Turkish culture
and is surrounded by it's own special equipment and ceremonies.
 The equipment includes carved wooden containers for
the roast coffee beans, beautifully decorated coffee grinders, the long handled deep
saucepan used to heat the coffee (cezve) and special trays with arched handles to
serve the coffee in tiny coffee cups. The cups used to be made without handles
necessitating the use of filigree or jeweled coffee cup holders.
The preparation involves very slow heating of the water, sugar and coffee mixture which
is served with froth on the top and grounds on the bottom of the cup (novices beware!).
Depending on the amount of sugar used the coffee is described as either sade
(without sugar), orta şekerli (medium sweet) or şekerli (very sweet).
In earlier times most Turks drank their coffee sade but with added fragrant
spices and sweets served on the side.
Nowadays coffee is usually served with less ceremony, and more practical materials have
replaced the carved wood and silver filigree, but at least two important cultural
connections survive. Prospective brides, as a test of their housekeeping skills, are still
expected to make and serve coffee to the boy's parents - and have been known to avoid
unwanted marriages by using salt instead of sugar or spilling the coffee all over the
guests! Another connection is through fal (reading the future from the coffee
grounds left in the cup) – a social activity much enjoyed by groups of women friends.
As the Turks say: To drink one cup of coffee together guarantees forty years of
friendship.
- Source:
- Traditional Turkish Coffee
By Sabahattin Türkoğlu
SKYLIFE 10/96
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