Türk Kahvesi
Türk Kahvesi·(tyoork kah-veh-see)
Kahve ve Çay Saati (The Afternoon Ritual)
It is an ancestral demand for patience. The scent of roasted cardamom and Mehmet Efendi coffee is a visceral tether to a grandmother's kitchen, a reminder to slow down in a world that refuses to. You cannot rush this process. You start with cool water, you absolutely abstain from stirring once the heat is on, and you fiercely protect the delicate foam. Using the old-school two-boil method guarantees a thick, velvety crema every time. Sit down, sip it slowly, and leave the sludge at the bottom for the fortune tellers.
Before you start
Find the right vessel.
If you lack a traditional wide-bottomed copper cezve, use the smallest, narrowest saucepan or butter-melting pot you own to force the foam to concentrate.
Select the proper cups.
Classic Turkish fincans hold about two and a half ounces; standard espresso demitasse cups work perfectly.
Ingredients
- cold filtered water5 oz
- extra-fine ground Turkish coffee14 g
- granulated sugar2 tsp
- ground cardamom1/8 tsp
Method
- 01
Combine everything off the heat.
Add the cool water, coffee, sugar, and cardamom to your pot and stir vigorously for about twenty seconds until the mixture resembles a thick, muddy syrup.
- 02
Place over the lowest possible heat and do not stir.
Stirring the coffee while it heats on the stove is the fastest way to kill the delicate foam before it even forms.
- 03
Watch for the foam to rise.
After three to five minutes, a dark ring will form around the edges of the pot and the foam will begin to puff up toward the brim.
- 04
Harvest the foam just before it boils.
As the foam billows like a dark cloud, immediately remove the pot from the heat and spoon the thick foam equally into your two cups.
- 05
Return the pot to the heat for the second rise.
Let the remaining liquid heat for ten to fifteen seconds until it rises once more, ensuring it never reaches a furious, rolling boil.
- 06
Pour with care.
Pour the hot coffee slowly down the inner sides of the cups to lift the foam up without destroying it.
Notes
Let the grounds settle.
Wait sixty to ninety seconds before taking your first sip so the ultra-fine grounds can sink entirely to the bottom.
Know when to stop.
Do not drink the last few sips of the cup; when the thick sludge touches your lips, you are finished.
Serve with respect.
Always serve alongside a small glass of ice-cold water to cleanse the palate before the first sip, and a piece of Turkish delight to balance the intensity.
From Cook Turkish in America.