Turkish Coffee

Turkish coffee is defined by its grind and its method. The beans are ground almost to a powder, far finer than for any other way of making coffee, so fine that the grounds stay suspended in the cup. That coffee is combined with cold water, and usually sugar, in a small long-handled pot called a cezve or ibrik, then heated slowly. As it warms, a foam rises to the top, and the pot is lifted away just before it boils over, sometimes more than once, to build and preserve that signature layer of froth. Cardamom is a common addition, stirred in for a warm, aromatic edge.

Nothing is filtered. The coffee is poured, grounds and all, into a small cup called a demitasse, with the prized foam spooned on top. You let it rest for a moment so the fine grounds settle to the bottom, then sip slowly from the top, stopping before you reach the thick layer of sediment. The result is intense, full-bodied, and unmistakably strong, with a texture unlike any drip or espresso drink.

Turkish coffee is as much a ritual as it is a drink. It is traditionally served with a glass of water to clear the palate and something sweet alongside, and it is meant to be lingered over in conversation rather than downed in a hurry. Even the grounds left behind carry a tradition of fortune-telling, read once the cup is turned over onto its saucer. It is a slow, social, ceremonial way to take coffee.