Turkish coffee is always brewed to order in small, uncovered aluminum or enamelware pots with long handles called cezve. Cold water is mixed with very finely ground dark-roasted coffee, and sugar if desired. This mixture is cooked on the stove. It takes five minutes to cook, not like Starbucks, or North American coffee where you press a button and forget about it. Watch, stir and stand at the stove. It doesn’t sit in a pot for a long time, it must be fresh or it won’t be good.
Turkish coffee is served the tiny octagonal cup and saucer of thick sweet coffee, and indicates the chocolate-coloured foam on top of the steaming coffee: ”There must be a foam on top. The grounds separate and sit at the bottom of the cup.” swirls the tiny cup to separate the elements.
Never, never does it take milk. Thick, sweet, smoky and stronger than espresso, one tiny cup will set you buzzing. And yes, it is true that people read their fortune in the coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup.
If you are having your fortune read for you, leave some coffee in the bottom of the cup. Then you put the saucer over the top of the cup and make a wish. Flip the cup and saucer upside down then wait for the bottom of the cup to cool down.
Different shapes in the grounds indicate different things. Some people see animals, and different animals mean different fortunes. Some people see waves or mountains, planes or birds. Different fortune tellers have different interpretations. Some people say that when you are done with having your fortune read, you must wash the plate and cup to make your wish come true.
Originally posted on June 2, 2006 @ 4:47 am