Turkish Coffee FAQ

By Karolos Tsiligirian

Turkish coffee is the oldest way of making coffee. This is a short article answering frequently asked questions about Turkish coffee. You can also post your question as a comment and I'll do my best to answer it.

Questions are in bold.

What kind of coffee must I use for Turkish coffee?

Turkish coffee nowadays is usually made of Latin American blends. Usually the blends contain two kinds of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. Except for the Latin American coffees the blends may also include coffees from Asia or Africa. Some of the best coffees for Turkish blends come from Brazil, Ethiopia and Yemen.

Should I use a coffee particularly made for Turkish coffee or can I use any blend?

Turkish blends are created in a special way to be optimized for Turkish coffee making. Most people that drink the popular Turkish coffee brands are used to a special characteristic taste. This doesn't mean that you cannot use another coffee blend to make Turkish coffee. For example you can use an espresso blend. The only requirement is that it must be ground very fine like powder. If it isn't ground fine enough there will be no foam on top of the coffee after you make it and the taste will be weak.

So, in other words you can experiment with any blend you want if you grind it fine enough for Turkish coffee. The taste will be different than the usual though.

Is it healthy?

Turkish coffee is as healthy as any regular coffee. Actually according to some some researches a quantity of two small Turkish coffee cups (demitasse cups) can be beneficial for the heart. If you exceed this amount then it may become bad for your health like any other coffee. Bear in mind that Turkish coffee is made almost as quickly as instant coffee but it's far better for your health.

What is this thick thing on top of Turkish coffee? Is it like espresso?

When you make Turkish coffee properly you will notice on top a layer of dark, thick and homogeneous foam. This is also known as kaimaki in Greece. If the coffee doesn't have kaimaki then something is definitely wrong with the coffee making:

• small quantity of coffee used

• not properly heated

• ground coarser than required

• very stale coffee

In some Eastern countries it is an insult to serve Turkish coffee without this special foam on top.

Kaimaki foam is looks similar to the espresso crema but it very different in terms of physical properties. The espresso crema is formed not only due to heat but also because of high pressure so it's quite different.

Do I need any special expensive equipment for Turkish coffee?

Making Turkish coffee is very easy and very fast. All you need is a small coffee pot and a heat source. You can use a small stainless steel pot and your electric stove top but it's preferable to use a traditional copper or brass Turkish pot. Regarding the heat source it's better to use low fire to make the coffee. A gas burner or an alcohol burner is my favorite heat source for home use.

What size coffee pot do I need?

This is a question that creates a lot of misunderstandings. Basically it depends on how much coffee you are going to make each time.

First, what you need to know is that you will need a coffee pot that holds approximately double the amount of coffee. This is because coffee must have enough room in the pot to foam up and furthermore because of the so-called "oven effect".

Let me explain...

Traditional Turkish coffee pots have an hourglass shape. This special shape creates an oven-like effect when making Turkish coffee. The oven-effect is highly desirable for better taste. The only requirement for this "oven-effect" is to fill the pot till the point where the pot diameter is smaller. Usually this means a half-full pot.

So, If you want to make two demitasse cups, for you and your friend, you will need a 4 demitasse-cup size coffee pot.

Please note that sizing differs among manufacturers. So instead of looking for a 4-cup size coffee pot look for a coffee pot that holds 4*60ml which equals 240ml. 60ml or approximately 2oz is the size of a demitasse cup.

What about a coffee pot for just one cup?

In this case you will need a coffee pot that holds 2*60ml=120ml coffee.

What about one normal cup?

One normal cup is approximately 250ml so you will need a 500ml pot.

These numbers are not exact. They are just guides to help you. Most of the times buying a bit smaller coffee pot will also be adequate.

Can I grind Turkish coffee with my coffee grinder?

Turkish coffee is ground at the most fine grind setting. Most grinders for home use are incapable of grinding so fine. If you have a blade grinder consider upgrading to a burr grinder. This doesn't mean that every burr grinder can grind Turkish coffee. So if you are in the market in research of a burr grinder make sure it has a Turkish coffee setting. Some burr grinders don't have a Turkish coffee setting but they can be modified very easily to grind fine enough for this coffee. This information can be easily found if you make a couple of searches in a search engine.

Another solution are manual-operated Turkish coffee grinders. These grinders are much cheaper than burr grinders and because of their low speed coffee is ground gently without getting heated. In cheap burr grinders because of the small burr dimensions the rotating speed is higher. This way the friction is bigger and the heat generation is higher. More heat means more coffee taste destruction! So in other words small grinding speeds of manual grinders are better for your palate! The big drawback is that this sort of grinding can remind you of manual labor sometimes...

Is there any special way to serve Turkish coffee? Any special tradition?

If you have guests and you want to impress them with your coffee making mastery and your hospitality you can do some simple things. First use a big traditional looking serving tray and put some glasses of water for your guests. Water is used to clean the mouth before tasting the coffee. Prepare the coffees immediately before serving time so that they keep their kaimaki foam and their temperature. You can pair the coffee with some cookies or muffins.

For dessert after the coffee you can offer traditional Turkish delight or baklava. Your guests will be grateful!

If you have any questions about Turkish coffee please post your comments. Enjoy!

Karolos Tsiligirian is the author of the "Fresh Coffee Encyclopedia" and the founder of FreshCoffeeShop.com

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The Base Of All Beans - Arabica Coffee Beans

By Peter D Vizard

Arabica coffee beans originated from Yemen and Ethiopia. It is the first production of coffee that was cultivated. It has been growing in southwest Arabia for many hundreds of years. Arabica coffee beans are considered the highest quality in the world, better than any other coffee bean produced anywhere.

The Pope and the Coffee Pot

Europe was a civilized society back in the seventeenth century, which also helped the rise of Arabica coffee beans. The fact that the coffee come from Moslem countries made Rome a little upset that it became so popular.

So Pope Clement VIII, unhappy at the Moslem religion's sudden surge of popularity, wanted to make coffee into a drink for Christians. He tried a pot of coffee, and despite the opposition of his advisor's of the day, he gave his approval the Arabica coffee.

The Revolution and the Arabica

Coffee houses in America started when a little known Dorothy Jones was first licensed to sell Arabica Coffee to the colonies. It was in a coffeehouse that the declaration of independence was first read.

The Boston Tea Party was held in a coffeehouse, and that's where revolutionaries met. Even the first continental congress happened in a coffee house.

After all those historical events America began their love affair with coffee. Throughout the centuries coffee has held its own in America. It was popular with soldiers in war times and when their supplies were low, they would mix it with chicory to make it last longer.

Arabica Coffee Beans Today

Arabica Coffee beans' journey to Brazil become famous in America. A clever Don Francisco, used a French Governor's wife stationed in Guiana. He smuggled the beans inside a bouquet his lover gave him as he left the docks of the islands.

Today. Americans are rediscovering the glories of coffee due to the rising popularity of coffee shops. Now coffee is not as simple as it was in the past. The rise of shops like Starbucks, has created a whole new experience around the humble cup of coffee.

Other Blends

Aside from Arabica coffee beans there are the other two other common varieties, the Liberica and the Robusta. It contemporaries is equally good as well, and comes down to a person's preference and taste.

The Liberica blend

The Liberica came from the low area of Liberia. It is mainly cultivated in South East Asia and Java. Of the different types of coffee beans it has the weakest flavor. It is simply good for blending and it's not up to export quality.

The Robusta blend

Robusta comes from the jungles of Belgium Congo, it is hardy and produces multiple crops in a year.

It is best made into instant coffee, which gave Robusta its popularity. But unlike the Arabica coffee, Robusta does not have the aroma and flavor of richness but is liked by some who prefer a more subtle flavor.

Free Coffee Recipes and much more! Check out http://www.MyOrganicCoffeeBeans.com/ for everything coffee, including where the famous Arabica Coffee Beans
came from and much more.

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Kinds of Coffee Beans

By David Urmann

Coffea or coffee is a large variety of flowering plants with over 90 species. They are shrubs belonging to the Rubiaceae family native to southern Asia and subtropical Africa. The coffee beverage is derived from the seeds of its fruit or coffee cherries. Coffee plant grows to a comparatively large height and is more precisely described as a tree.

The coffee berries, coffee cherries or fruits usually contain two stones or beans. Coffee beans are mostly made up of endosperm that consists of 0.8 to 2.5 per centum of caffeine. Only a small percentage of coffee cherries have a single bean. This bean is called a peaberry.

Coffee beans are not literally beans. The name originates from the Arabic words gahwa and bunn; gahwa means coffee and bunn means berry. They are the seeds of the coffee plant, and almost all coffee traders call these seeds beans.

Coffee develops under the shade in its natural habitat. Coffee plants grown under the shade, do not deplete the soil's resources and lives two times longer than sun grown varieties. The quality of shade grown coffee is said to be higher than sun grown coffee. The cherries produced by the coffee tree under the shade are relatively smaller than those of commercial varieties.

Many believe that this smaller cherry contracts the flavors into the bean itself. Majority of coffee is grown on plantations with full-sun. Some coffee plantations were prepared with the use of deforestation.

The two main variety of coffee being grown today are Robusta and Arabica. Robusta comprises about 20 percent of the world's production. It is a lower grade coffee with higher caffeine content. Robusta trees are normally grown at lower elevations and easier to maintain and cultivate. This type is typically grown to attain a lower priced coffee in the market.

Arabica coffee supplies 75 to 80 percent of the world's coffee trade. It is usually referred as gourmet coffee by most people because of its superior grade, aromatic properties and desirable taste. Arabica species of coffee are grown all over the world but only a few growers passed the Specialty Coffee Association of America's standard.

Other kinds of coffee plant being grown include Coffea benghalensis, Coffea congensis, Coffea excelsa, Coffea bonnieri, Coffea gallienii, Coffea mogeneti, Coffea liberica, and Coffea stenophylla. Each species has different characteristics.

Green beans are essentially coffee beans not roasted yet. Its volatile and non-volatile compounds are said to appeal to insects and distract animals from eating the coffee fruits. These compounds also contribute to the flavor of roasted beans. Nitrogenous compounds jointly with carbohydrates are significant for the full aroma or fragrance of roasted coffee beans. The non-volatile nitrogenous compounds include trigonelline, alkaloids, protein and free amino acids.

Gourmet Coffee Beans have volcanica, costa rice, Jamaica blue mountain, and kona. Volcanica are grown at 3,000 to 7,000 feet on mountain slopes created by volcanoes and nurtured on volcanic soil. The moisture coming from the clouds and the cool climate combined gives the coffee a smooth and robust flavor.

Costa rica is among the world's largest gourmet coffees with clean, light flavor and fantastic aroma. The magnificent growing condition of this tiny Central American nation is due to the fertile volcanic soil and mild climate.

Jamaica blue mountain is considered as the Rolls-Royce of coffee. It is one of the most appreciated gourmet coffees in the world. This coffee has a strong and intense aroma, balanced acidity, and prominent fruit flavors.

Kona coffee has a rich delicious full-bodied flavor grown from the slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii. Plantation needs a sunny weather, rich soil and ample rainfall. This coffee has a luscious, smooth, intense fragrance and nutty flavor that made it very famous throughout the US.

For more information on Classic Roasts and Flavored Coffee Beans please visit our website.

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Two Types of Coffee Beans

By Ten Leu Jaw

Today coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. As a stimulant drink, coffee is prepared from roasted beans. Coffee beans also have become one of the top agricultural exports for many countries.

From flower to cherry, the colour of the bean is first green and turns red when it is ripe. The fruit is sweet in taste and after biting off the fresh; each little red cherry contains two seeds. After being picked, the cherries are then processed and dried. The seeds are then roasted to different degrees depending on the flavour and there come our brown coffee beans. Generally there are two common types of bean: Arabica and Robusta.

Coffea arabica accounts for more than 70% of the world's coffee trade. Originated from Ethiopia and Yemen, it is known as 'mountain coffee' or 'coffee shrub of Arabia'. Arabica beans are more delicate and planted at higher and cooler ground; making them more costly. They grow at about 1000 to 2000 m above sea level; generally, the higher the altitudes, the harder the beans and the better the quality. So they are also called hard bean coffee. Arabica has a wider taste range and the roasted bean is more fruity in smell.

Coffea canephora or Robusta coffee has its origins in Africa, and also Brazil which is now surpassed by Vietnam as the largest exporting country. The plant grows at lower altitudes near sea level and requires little rainfall. Robusta plant is hardier and less susceptible to pest. So it could yield more fruit and the production cost is less. The beans are smaller and yellowish in colour. The taste of Robusta is more neutral and the roasted bean has a more burnt smell compared to Arabica.

Which types of bean you like is subjective. Although Arabica bean is pricier, there are different grades of bean. A high quality Robusta will taste much better than a low quality Arabica. It is best that you do some homework before buying coffee bean. It is also worth noting that Robusta contains higher caffeine compared to Arabica.

Ten, writer for brew1819, a cafe situated at one corner of 8 Shenton Way, Singapore. http://brew1819.com/blog/

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