"A cup of coffee will be remembered for 40 years."

Turks can say millions words about coffee: "Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and as sweet as love", "Coffee and tobacco; pleasure is complete", "Sleep cannot be without blanket, coffee without foam" and more. But why Turkish coffee is the most sentimental and romantic drink? Why is so original and irreplaceable? And last but not least, why I like Turkish coffee more than "modern" coffees from the coffee machine? Today something about second best drink in Turkey.

"Turkish coffee" doesn't mean that prepared coffee comes from Turkey because coffee doesn't grow here. It's rather a style or fashion, maybe  we can say "method" of preparing and serving this black drink (Türk Kahvesi). Exactly Turks introduced coffee to West Civilization in XVI century. Big thanks! All people addicted to morning coffee should be grateful! :)

Yesterday in Kadıköy, on the street, I saw a man who was making traditional Turkish coffee on the fire. Smell was awesome and so fresh, also sweet. I don't know this street but for me it'll be Coffee Street forever! It looked like that:

Actually I don't like coffee at all. I love smell but not taste... it's too bitter for me. Maybe I didn't know how to make good one, but really - Turkish was so sweet and thick. Delicious. You can know absolutely nothing about this country, but when you drink a cup of coffee you'll feel like you spent all life in Istanbul or another Turkish city. All Oriental world will seem to be familiar and well-known. Magic... 

English people have their "5 o'clock", Turks have "11 o'clock". This hour is mostly coffee hour. In traditional houses, housewives serve "morning coffee" - it's impossible to drink coffee here with breakfast or before breakfast! You can forget about that!

What you need to prepare Turkish coffee?

1. cezve - a small boiling pot with a handle; 

2. teaspon - to stir coffee with water and sugar before boiling and to take the foam - the most important thing; Turkish coffee without the foam isn't Turkish coffee; all ingredients are  heated together and when the liquid boils, you can serve!

3. coffee; 

4. COLD water; always, always, always use cold water!

5. sugar; there are 4 levels of sweetness: sade (no sugar), az şekerli (a little sugar), orta (medium sugar) and şekerli (really sweet); 

6. cardamon or cinnamon (if you wish);

7. fincan - to serve coffee in a traditional way; it's so small cup, similar to espresso cups but so pretty painted; modern cups (like this one) have handles but they aren't traditional cups; if you be really serious about customs you should use cup without handle but with zarf - metal thing for catching cup;

What can you serve with Turkish coffee?

1. cold water - to fresh your mouth and make better coffee taste;

2. Turkish delight;

After drinking you will find somebody who will tell you from the left grounds everything about your future! Then you have to turn over your cup and wait until cup will be cold. The pattern of the coffee grounds will show what will happen to you soon. This fortune telling is so famous tradition in Turkey and calls here kahve falı. 

Every important family meeting or friends meeting finishes with cup of coffee, but not only... Drinking coffee or rather preparing it is the part of wedding ceremony. Future husband's family visits future wife's family to talk and ask blessing and permission for wedding. Then, the bride must make Turkish coffee and serve it for the groom's family. But not so easy!!! :)  This day's last test for a boyfriend. If the boy really wants his lovely girl he has to drink coffee with salt. He can say nothing but must drink all without complaining. Only then he can be sure she will be his woman forever. 

I'll try to find Turkish coffee in my country. I think I have to learn how to do that. Now it's only theory. Who knows maybe someday I'll have to prepare this drink for my future husband... :)

So now, greetings and... enjoy your coffee. :)