Saturday, September 20, 2008

Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 1 comment

Savoury Sludge



Call it caffeinated sludge or call it delightful - either way, Turkish coffee is an experience to be lived. Sipping its strong, frothy goodness makes me feel like a like a local, if nothing else. My personal preference is to savour it slowly along with a good book at Fazıl Bey's in Kadıköy, my old Istanbul stomping ground. (The ambience is great, plus it comes with a morsel of Turish Delight!) But as soon as I perfect the art of making it at home, my grapevine-covered balcony will become my own personal cafe.

As tradition dictates, one must drink a glass of water to "cleanse the palette" before imbibing - so as not to corrupt the flavour, I presume. Then the coffee is enjoyed slowly, froth first. (Remember, this is an age-old ritual, not a frenzied caffeine fix.) It's nearly impossible to drain the whole cup, unless your insides are made of steel, as the grounds are as thick as mud on the bottom of the cup. With whatever's left inside, Turks will sit around and tell each other's fortunes based on what they see in the grounds. (Good thing I don't put stock in that - mine always just turns out black.....) :)

Making this strong brew is an art in itself - check out the process at http://www.turkish-coffee.org/make_turkish_coffee.htm

1 comments:

I'm so excited to sit and get to know you over a good cup of coffee Jaime! We share a common love, well,
probably more than just one : )