Well, we're in the thick of it here, folks. And if you're not looking for the perfect Christmas present for your Double Americana obsessed friend, then you're probably looking for coffee. Luckily for you, we've got both.
For today's Rumbly Tummy, we decided to walk you through how to make Turkish Coffee. Last Christmas, Mallory got Scott this ibrik and set of 3 espresso cups, the perfect size to spring on curious relatives during your holiday celebration.
The first time we had Turkish coffee together was in Macon, GA, of all places at this cool, anarchist cafe (anarchist is a relative term in GA). You know the place; the walls are covered with posters of Che Guevara and Frida Kahlo, "Drummer Wanted for Band" fliers, more weekly free magazines than there are weekdays and the baristas are really decent at their job but a little sloppy and uninterested when you ask where there beans come from but as soon as you bring up tax reform it's all "down with the system!" Anyway, we love that place. And they served a great cup of Turkish coffee, Scott's very first cup of Turkish coffee to be precise.
There is an old Turkish proverb that goes "Turkish coffee should be black as hell, strong as death as sweet as love." Maybe that's what why it's so special to make and to drink. It welcomes you into the truths of living in a way that recognizes that there is sludge in life just like at the bottom of your coffee cup, but there is sweetness in it too, and that you can't have one without the other.
So, invite a friend over and get brewing!
Turkish Coffee
Ingredients:
Coffee, very finely ground
2-3 cardamom seeds, cracked*
sugar, honey, or maple syrup
water
You Will Need:
an Ibrik, or a small saucepan
Instructions:
1. Grind the coffee. It is vital that your Turkish coffee is the finest grind possible, finer than even espresso, so that it feels like powder when you sift it between your fingers. On most coffee grinders this is the finest grind possible. Some helpful estimations as we don't have this down to an exact science: for 8 oz of water, add 3 tsp coffee, for 12 oz use 6 tsp coffee, and so forth.
2. Add cold water to your ibrik or pot. Any pot with a handle will work, but it's more fun with an ibrik.
3. Add your sugar. We typically buy a Turkish coffee blend from Muggswigz coffee in Canton, OH that comes pre-spiced but if you're making your coffee from scratch, you'll want to stir your sugar into the water first. Depending on how sweet you like it, try a tablespoon. Sugar is traditional, but you can do honey or maple syrup or any sweetening agent.
4. Add your finely ground coffee. If you're making this from scratch, now would be the time to add 2-3 cracked cardamom seeds for that extra warming spice.
5. On medium/high heat, bring your pot to just before a boil. The coffee will start to foam creating a tasty crema. Before it foams over remove from heat. Stir it down. Return to heat and allow to foam a second time. Remove from heat and stir it down. Return to heat and allow to foam a third time and remove for the final time without stirring, so that the sweet crema remains on top. You don't want the coffee to boil, but you do need it to get to almost boiling, so a vigilant eye is key.
6. You're ready to serve. We like to enjoy our coffee in small espresso cups, but you can serve it in any size you want. There will be sludge at the bottom of your cup. Don't drink it. And if you're the one serving the coffee, do the right thing and warn your friends not to drink it either.
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