It is usually produced with finely ground beans and brewed in a specifically designed copper kettle known as a cezve, and it is frothy, thick, and very scented (via Science Direct). According to A Whole Latte Love, Turks have been drinking warm, bubbling cups of coffee since 1540, when Ozdemir Pasha, a Turkish Governor, introduced the drink to the ruling Sultan and received royal sanction. Following that, coffee shops sprung up across the country, and researchers and students flocked to them for the stimulating drink.
But, aside from its historical and cultural significance, what makes Turkish coffee so unique? According to Death Wish Coffee, true Turkish coffee is brewed in a certain technique that involves the use of sand. Yes, you read that correctly: sand is heated over a fire, and a cezve is filled with water and coffee and cooked on top of the sand. Because the sand conducts heat evenly, the coffee gets frothy as the grounds quickly infuse the water, and the deeper the pot is, the more heat it absorbs. However, because to the way Turkish coffee is brewed, it may be very strong for certain consumers, thus sugar is added upon request, but not always when you expect it to be.
Because the fine coffee grounds are brewed directly in the water rather than being filtered, some make their way into your cup, resulting in a visibly thicker and stronger coffee that isn’t for everyone (via Coffee-Direct). Coffee is not a one-size-fits-all beverage, and Turkish coffee makers are well aware that some of their consumers require a sweet jolt to make it palatable. Unlike in the United States, where coffee consumers are offered a pre-made cup of Joe and asked to add sugar after brewing, sugar is added to the grounds during the brewing process in Turkey.
According to the Art of Turkish Coffee, while brewing Turkish coffee (or tea for that matter), sugar should be put to the coffee before it is made, not after. Why? For one thing, it infuses the sweetness straight into the drink using spices like cardamom; for another, you won’t be able to stir sugar into a Turkish coffee after it’s been produced. Remember that Turkish coffee is unfiltered, therefore the “sediment” should be left alone in the bottom of the cup. However, stirring sugar into your drink can scatter it, destroying the effect. Instead of adding sugar afterwards, Aegean Delight recommends informing your Turkish coffee maker: “no sugar” or sade, “a little sugar.”
Turkish coffee is manufactured from very finely ground coffee beans and is also distinguished from other varieties of coffee by being boiled in ancient copper pots known as cezve. Turkish coffee is more fragrant and thicker than other types of coffee.
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