TURKİSH COFFE:

Turkish Coffee is the name given to a type of coffee whose preparation and brewing techniques were invented
by the Turks. It has a unique taste, froth, aroma, brewing technique and presentation… in other words it has its
own identity and tradition.

The first coffee was made in the Arabian Peninsula by boiling coffee cherries. The new method invented by the
Turks revealed coffee's true flavour and peerless aroma. The Turks introduced coffee to Europe where for many
years it was prepared and consumed as Turkish Coffee.

Turkish Coffee is made from high quality arabica coffee beans from Central America and Brazil that are blended
and carefully roasted, then very finely ground. The coffee is mixed with water and the desired amount of sugar
and cooked in a "cezve", or Turkish coffeepot. The coffee is served in small cups. The coffee must be left to
stand for a short time after serving to allow the grounds to settle at the bottom of the cup.

PREPARATION

It only takes two minutes to prepare Turkish Coffee.

Using the coffee cup as a measuring cup, pour one cup of drinking water in the cezve per cup of Turkish
Coffee (the quality of the water affects the quality of the coffee).

Add two teaspoons of coffee (5 g) and two teaspoons of sugar (as desired) per cup.

Blend the coffee and sugar with a spoon over a low flame.

When the coffee boils over a second time, pour the remaining coffee into the coffee cups.

Allow the remaining coffee to brew a while longer before adding it to the cups.

It is customary to serve Turkish Coffee with a glass of water. The water prepares the mouth for the coffee's
flavour.
When serving a large group, it is best to prepare semi-sweet Turkish Coffee.
Drinking coffee is a unique pleasure for Turks.

A cup of Turkish coffee is endowed with a variety of important connotations for Turks: friendship, affection and
sharing. This is best illustrated in the old saying: "A single cup of coffee can create a friendship that lasts for 40
years". Turkish coffee is such an intrinsic part of Turkish culture that it has given its name to the word for
breakfast, "kahvaltı", which translates as "before coffee", and is derived from the words "kahve" (coffee) and
"altı" (before).
Serving a cup of Turkish Coffee is also a way of sealing a friendship. The preparation and care taken by a host
in serving Turkish Coffee to his guests is an important aspect of hospitality. In Turkey, it is traditional for a
prospective bride to serve coffee to her suitor and his family when they come to ask for her hand in marriage.
Accepting a cup of coffee is a source of pride to the person who offers it. This is illustrated in the Turkish
expressions "his coffee can be drunk" and "I would drink a cup of your coffee".
Nothing compares to long, friendly conversation over a cup of frothy Turkish Coffee, followed by having your
fortune told.
FORTUNE TELLING

Love, success, money, fortune: the art of reading coffee grounds is as old as coffee itself. Coffee fortune telling
was born out of Turkish Coffee and is an inseparable part of the pleasure and conversation associated with
coffee.

This ritual spread to Europe at the end of the 17th century when it became fashionable in Paris, from where it
spread to Austria, Hungary and Germany.

After the coffee is drunk the cup is placed upside down on its saucer. The person whose fortune is to be read
says, "Let my fortune match my state". After the cup has thoroughly cooled, the fortuneteller examines the
patterns formed by the grounds. The aim is generally to impart good news and to promote a positive outlook on
the future.
The shapes and patterns left by the grounds on the cup and saucer have various symbolic meanings:

TRADITONAL TOOLS
There are several stages involved in preparing traditional Turkish Coffee: roasting, cooling, grinding, cooking
and serving. The traditional tools used in these processes have for the most part fallen victim to the passage of
time and modernisation; today, they can only be found in museums, private collections and the windows of
antique shops. In the order of their use, they can be described as follows:

Two types of roasters were used, a "tava" (pan) or a "tambur" (cauldron). The pans were made either from
beaten iron or, more rarely, from fired clay. The pans had long handles, some of which could be folded. Some of
the large pans were mounted on wheels to make it easier to pass them over the fire. Others had roasting
spoons attached to the pans by a chain. Roasting was performed over a stove or grill. Cauldron roasters were
made from sheet iron and consisted of a hand turned cylinder fitted onto a small, square grill.

In the past, coffee was

roasted at home on roasting pans. A roasting pan used in the palace and in grand mansions.
The roasted beans were transferred into hand carved wooden cooling bins that featured an opening for pouring
out the coffee. The matchless cooling bins were decorated with carved motifs and are one of the finest
examples of Turkish woodwork.

The beans were then ground either with a "havan" (mortar) or in a "dibek" (large mill). "Dibek" were handmade
from wood, marble or stone; "havan" were made from cast bronze.

The roasted coffee was then transferred into The coffee was ground in "dibek" (Large Mortar) and (havan)
a cooling bin and left to cool.

The beans were ground using pestles or mallets. Two types of mills were used: hand mills and larger "yer"
mills. The hand mills were usually made of brass, although some had wooden handles. The "yer" mills were
made of brass or wood, both of which had iron mechanisms.

A hand mill was also

used to grind the coffee. Wooden mills were used in
addition to hand mills to grind the coffee
Mırra", an old style of coffee with a bitter taste, was made from very dark roasted beans. The coffee was
prepared by boiling the beans in a "güğüm" (copper vessel) at length. "Mırra" was drunk in one shot without
sugar.

Turkish Coffee is made from medium roasted, finely ground beans. It is boiled very briefly either with or without
sugar. It is best if it has a good froth. It was originally cooked in tinned brass or copper vessels. Later, these
were replaced by "cezve" made of copper or brass, which remain in use today.

After the coffee was ground,

it was stored in a wooden coffee box. Some of the "cezve" that were
used to brew coffee had folding handles.

Turkish Coffee has always served as a symbol of love, respect and hospitality. Turkish Coffee was served in
special coffee sets by "kahveci güzeli" or coffee beauties in an atmosphere of great solemnity. A coffee set
consisted of a coffee cloth, tray, cup holders, cups and saucers, as well as a serving "güğüm" that helped to
keep the coffee warm. The finest trays, cup holders and saucers were made from "tombak", or gilt copper.
Later, these were made from silver and copper. Decorated with the "tuğra" or imperial seals, carvings or bas-
relief work, they represent the pinnacle of Turkish metal workmanship. Handleless cups with holders were made
of fine porcelain or china. The cups with holders were replaced over time by the handled cups made of porcelain
and occasionally china that we use today.

Turkish Coffee is the precursor of all the varieties of coffee served in Europe and around the world. Kurukahveci
Mehmet Efendi has been producing world-renowned delicious Turkish Coffee since 1871 and is synonymous with
the rich history of the beverage.

In the past, coffee cup holders

were made of "tombak", or gilt copper. The way the coffee is presented is as important as the way it
i is brewed. Coffee cups have always been amongst the most
t elegant kitchen accoutrements.

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