Correct grade

The classic recipes were created at a time when coffee conquered Africa, Asia and began a triumphant march across Europe. There was no question of any robusta then: the drink was made only from Arabica. Now sometimes there are tips to use Robusta for making coffee. Everyone decides for himself whether or not to experiment with this type of grain.

There are three good reasons not to make coffee in a Turk from pure robusta or blends that contain it:

• Robusta is very bitter, and in the process of making coffee in a Turk, the bitterness increases;
• Coffee brewed in a Turk is valuable not only for its taste, but also for its aroma. However, the smell of robusta is nowhere near as intense and rich as that of arabica;
• Robusta has a higher caffeine content than Arabica. Robusta coffee made in a Turk will be invigorating, but too strong, it will turn into a time bomb for the heart and blood vessels.

There are many varieties of Arabica on the market with different aromas and flavors, so that a coffee lover has nothing to lose by giving up Robusta.

How to prepare grains

Rules for choosing coffee beans for brewing in a Turk:

• the roasting of the beans must not be darker than medium (Vienna). A heavier roasted drink turns out to be unbearably bitter, it tastes and smells like an infusion of something burnt;
• the stronger the roast, the more bitterness and minimum sourness in the finished drink is felt. Brewing in a Turk evens out the sour taste even more. Therefore, sourness lovers should choose very light roasted grains;
• you should not chase elite varieties with a rich aftertaste. To brew coffee in a Turk, it is enough to purchase high-quality Arabica with a mild taste, for example, Kenyan.

Grinding coffee for turks

The advice to grind coffee yourself is not a fad of the originals. There are voids inside coffee beans filled with essential oils. When grinding the coffee, aroma is released. The more time has passed since grinding, the weaker the smell.

The best option for cezve is freshly ground grains. There is a lot of controversy about the degree of grinding. To prepare coffee in cezve, any grind is suitable, only the taste will be different. The finer the grinding, the faster the extraction takes place. A drink made from finely ground beans will be stronger than one made from coarsely ground beans.

Classic Turkish coffee recipe

Proportions
When brewing, the optimal proportion of coffee for a Turk is 1:10 (for 1 part of ground beans for 10 parts of water), that is, 10 g of coffee is needed for 100 g of water. However, here everyone decides for himself: someone likes a stronger drink, someone weaker. Other ingredients: sugar, milk, honey, spices, etc. are not used in the traditional version.

Step by step cooking technology:

• Pour coffee into cezve (add sugar and other bulk ingredients if desired), pour in half of room temperature water.
• Wait for the coffee to stop releasing air bubbles (“bloom”).
• Top up the rest of the water in the cezve, in which the remaining liquid ingredients, for example, milk or honey (optional), must be diluted. The liquid level should not be higher than the narrowing point of the neck, otherwise, when heated, the foam will splash out.
• Put the cezve on the hotplate with the smallest fire on. If you have time, you can hold the Turk in your hand over the fire.
• After a minute, stir the contents of the container so that no lumps remain in the coffee. Do not stir again afterwards.
• Attention!  Coffee should not be allowed to boil. As soon as the foam in the turk begins to rise (this happens at a temperature of 95–96 ° C), the coffee, along with the grounds, should be poured into a preheated cup.
• It will take about 2-3 minutes for the extraction process to complete and the thick to settle. After that, coffee is served at the table.

The above recipe for Turkish coffee is basic. By experimenting with the initial temperature of the water in the cezve (from icy to moderately warm), the degree of grinding and roasting, you can achieve a signature taste that is unlike anything else.

Helpful hints:

• In order for the aroma and taste of coffee to unfold more fully, a little table (not necessarily iodized) salt is put in the cezve together with ground coffee: literally on the tip of a knife. In finished coffee, the taste of salt will not be felt;
• to enhance the aroma of ground coffee, it is sometimes advised to warm it up in cezve even before pouring it in water. This must be done very carefully so that the powder does not char. It is better not to roast extra fine coffee;
• if you want to brew coffee with sugar or spices, then all dry additives are mixed with ground coffee before it is poured with water. Liquid ingredients (for example, syrups or honey) are dissolved in water in advance;
• the coffee should not be allowed to boil or foam splashed out: then the drink will lose both its taste and aroma;
• coffee brewed in cezve must be served with a glass of water at room temperature: a sip of water will cleanse the receptors and enjoy the taste of the drink more fully.

Arabic coffee

Recipe:

• Pour a teaspoon of sugar into a preheated Turk (to taste).
• On low heat, bring sugar until light brown (until caramelization begins).
• Pour 100 ml of water over the caramelized sugar and bring to a boil.
• Remove the cezve from the heat, add 10 g of ground coffee, stir.
• Pour in 1 tablespoon of cold water.
• Heat over low heat.
• As soon as the foam rises, remove the Turk from the heat.
• After 2-3 minutes, pour the coffee into the warmed cups.

You can add a pinch of cardamom or a pinch of cardamom and cinnamon to the drink prepared according to this recipe. Specialty stores sell real Arabic coffee with cardamom.

Viennese coffee

Ingredients per serving:

• 35 ml of black coffee brewed in Turkish;
• 20 ml cream;
• 3-5 g of dark chocolate;
• sugar to taste.

Recipe: to brew coffee in a Turkish traditional way. While the thick is settling in the cezve, beat the cream with sugar until steep peaks. Pour coffee into a warm cup, top with cream and sprinkle with chocolate. Serve with a sugar bowl or sticker, but usually no additional sugar is needed.