Despite being a country that doesn’t grow coffee, Turkey’s place on the global coffee map stands unchallenged. What exactly does the region offer to make its coffee culture a highlight for enthusiasts?
Located over 2900 km north of Yemen, Turkey’s terrain sits away from the bean belt, thereby making the country’s environmental conditions not optimal for coffee cultivation.
However, that didn’t deter the natives from embracing the beverage, making it a part of their traditions, and establishing coffee roasteries that draw praise from consumers.
Let’s delve deeper into the world of Turkish coffee.
History
After coffee made its way to Yemen from Ethiopia, it spread across the Arab world and the Middle East. Some say that Syrian traders played a crucial role in introducing coffee to Ottoman rulers. On the other hand, there are also reports that suggest an Ottoman governor stationed in Yemen was responsible for bringing back coffee to Turkey.
Either way, coffee went from being a beverage enjoyed by the elite to being a crowd favourite amongst the common man in Turkey.
The first coffee house in Istanbul was set up in the 16th century. Soon after, the number of coffee shops in various parts of the country grew exponentially. These served the purpose of broadening the horizons of social life, encouraging people to visit coffeehouses and chat over a cup of joe.
There would be poetry readings and political discussions, weaving coffee into the art and literature in Turkey.
Through the Ottoman Empire, coffee spread to European regions. Consequently, it was the Turkish style of brewing coffee that was adopted in the West, some more authentically than others.
As the 1950s came around, wartime caused a shortage of coffee in Turkey. The beverage was then adulterated with chickpeas and other substances to make up for the lack of beans.
To date, Turkey is an active importer of global coffee, spending as much as $412 million in the year 2022 to import coffee from Brazil, the Netherlands, Germany, India, and Bulgaria.
The cultural significance of Turkish coffee is so rich that in 2013, UNESCO added Turkish coffee culture and tradition to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Characteristics
A brass or copper pot called the cezve is traditionally used to brew coffee in Turkey. This pot is quite small (makes about one cup of coffee). Its etchings reflect the artistic flavour of Turkish culture. The pot has a spout and a long handle, which makes pouring the brew into cups easy.
The other vessels that are crucial to the Turkish coffee ritual are small, ornate cups and mortar and pestle.
While mostly 100% arabica beans are used, sometimes you may find robusta blends sold as Turkish coffee. These are medium-dark roasted and ground to a fine texture, much more finer than an Italian espresso. Ensuring that the coffee grounds have a smooth texture is considered important for the body of Turkish coffee.
The coffee grounds are added to cold water and brought to a boil. Those who wish to brew a sweetened coffee may add sugar at this stage. Some may also add cardamom or cloves.
When the decoction is about to boil over, you’ll notice that it has become very frothy. The cezve is taken off the stove, allowing the grounds to settle. If the body of the brew is not as desired, the pot may be placed back on the stove a couple of times and stirred.
It is finally served in porcelain cups without filtering the coffee grounds (these settle to the bottom of the cup).
Turkish coffee is not meant to be gulped down but savoured slowly sip by sip.
Another traditional way of preparing coffee in Turkey is to place a pan on the stove, fill it with sand, and place the cezve in the centre. The sand absorbs the heat and in turn brews coffee, creating froth on the surface.
In Turkey, the beverage is consumed as black coffee. It has a rich and bold flavour profile with notes of chocolate and spices. A glass of water and some delectable treats (bites that are sugary-sweet like the baklava) are often served with coffee to balance the intense flavours.
An interesting aspect of Turkish coffee culture is that coffee is also used to tell fortunes. After you have finished your cup of joe, the cup is turned upside down. The fortune teller studies the pattern of the coffee grounds to tell you your fortune.
Have you ever tried Turkish coffee? Let us know what you thought of it.