Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Tue Mar 8, 2005, 7:51am Subject: Turkish Coffee - do you like it? Why?
All,
I have had Turkish coffee many times (more in Egypt than Turkey - though I have visited both countries several times). Turkish coffee has always seemed to be an anomaly to me with its requirement for gentle handling and letting the last 1/3 or 1/4 of the cup lie. Yet, it was fun, especially in the shiesha bars in Cairo (though I was never sure if it was truly legal to go into those).
It is surprising that Turkish coffee doesn't have more coffee flavor since there is so much coffee in a cup. Well, that is in the cup if not in your mouth - coating your teeth and choking your throat (if you, like me, are dumb enough and don't know that you are not to drink the final bit in the cup!!!!). LOL! Still, there is a charm to it all.
Those of you who consider yourselves to be Turkish aficionados, what is it that appeals to you about the drink?
poison Senior Member Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 1,164 Location: LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Astra Pro Grinder: Maestro Plus, Super J deal Drip: Cone filter Roaster: RK drum
Posted Wed Mar 9, 2005, 9:19am Subject: Re: Turkish Coffee - do you like it? Why?
Ah, Turkish!
The ritual, more than anything, appeals to me. Some of my most memorable moments have been because I stopped what I was doing to brew or partake in a brew with good friends in some wild, wierd, wonderful places (in Israel and Lebanon). It gives you time to breath, to look around, joke with friends.
But the coffee is good too when done right (what is right? You could start a war with that question!). Thick coffee, lots of sugar, with or without cardamom or other spice. Served piping hot in shot glasses or fine china cups.
I worked on a kibbutz in Israel in the Golan for 6 months. I befriended a Druze guy, who invited me to his house in the Druze village. After trying to kill me with an excess of wonderful food, coffee was served. With pastries. Then fruit. Then roasted nuts and seeds. And more coffee.
THen he took me to visit at least 6 other relatives houses, all of whom felt the need to feed me. And serve coffee. I must have had 12-15 oz of Turkish coffee that afternoon. I was torn in two direction: I wanted to lay down and sleep for 2 days while the food digested, but was strangely awake from what must have been 1-2 grams of caffeine.
Needless to say, I was wary of further offers to visit his village.
Fred_Astaire Senior Member Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Posts: 177 Location: NY/NJ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Isomac Tea Grinder: Solis Maestro; NS MCF Vac Pot: none Drip: Braun (love my drip) Roaster: Hottop
Posted Wed Mar 9, 2005, 9:26am Subject: Re: Turkish Coffee - do you like it? Why?
Love it. But I must confess that I have it rarely. The things I like most about it are: (1) the ritual and (2) the way the coffee, sugar and seasonings (I use cardamom) work together, where the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Wed Mar 9, 2005, 10:36am Subject: Re: Turkish Coffee - do you like it? Why?
Boy, Poison, your description (& yours too, Fred) almost make me want to think of it as something special - instead of that nasty, thick stuff that it really is.
You are ultimately correct, though. The "human" flavor of the experience is what not only Turkish coffee, but many of life's endeavors, are all about. One can "do" almost any activity and have it be enjoyable if it is done with friends and family and in an enjoyable frame of mind.
But...would you make a pot of Turkish for yourself if you were alone some Saturday? If not, then it is probalby not a beverage which you think is that important.
Len
PS: Why is it that I often these days can not open links posted in here - both at home and in the office? Links like the one psted in your post Alan. I get an error message of one kind or another. What gives? Here is what I get:
Bad Request Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand. Size of a request header field exceeds server limit.
poison Senior Member Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 1,164 Location: LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Astra Pro Grinder: Maestro Plus, Super J deal Drip: Cone filter Roaster: RK drum
Posted Wed Mar 9, 2005, 11:13am Subject: Re: Turkish Coffee - do you like it? Why?
Holy widescreen, batman!!!!!
Anyway, I do occasionally make Turkish for myself....
I would call it important simply because it is the original method of preparation, or at least the first way coffee beans were brewed instead of eaten. That method held longer than any other: as you saw, it is still very common today.
I guess the sludge is disconcerting, though. Finishing the glass without getting any grounds, yet leaving an almost dry espresso-puck-looking layer of grounds in the bottom, is an art.
Hey, for a really entertaining look at coffee, read The Devils Cup. Fun read, written by the Dharma bum of coffee literature.
jakethecoffeelover Senior Member Joined: 3 Mar 2005 Posts: 1,036 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Expertise: Pro Barista
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly... Vac Pot: Perhaps in the future... Drip: Insulated Bodum Kenya FP Roaster: Hearthware iRoast
Posted Wed Mar 9, 2005, 8:35pm Subject: Re: Turkish Coffee - do you like it? Why?
I use the latest version of Internet Explorer, adn I have the problem too. To fix that problem, click the link and take go up to the address bar. It should say "http://www.coffeegeek....." Take out the "http://www." leaving "coffeegeek.com/sffewfw/dsfs" and so on. Press enter and the page will load.
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