Try the Tradition of Turkish Coffee and Taste the Difference

Turkish coffee became part of the Turks life and was known as the "Wine of Islam" and the "Milk of Chess Players and Thinkers". They were great coffee drinkers, both at home and in public houses, the forerunners of our cafés, which started to spring up across the Islamic countries. The Europeans got their first taste of Turkish Coffee, and coffee in general from the Ottoman Turks, who brought coffee to the West.

Another method boils seeds with the coffee and lets them float to the top when served. Turkish coffee is derived from the famous Arabica coffee bean, often the addition of the aromatic Cardamom spice is added to the coffee while it is being ground.

Turkish coffee is served hot from a special pot called a cezve. A rule of the traditional Turkish coffee ceremony states that if the foam is absent from the coffee, the host loses face. As the coffee begins to heat, it begins to foam. Sugar is not added to the coffee after it has been served. Traditionally Turkish Coffee has six levels of sweetness from ranging from very sweet to black.

You'll need 1 1/2 cups of cold water, 4 teaspoons of strong dark roast coffee and about 4 teaspoons of sugar. Spoon off the foam and gently place into each cup without stirring. Pour half of the coffee into demitasse cups and return the remaining coffee to the heat and bring back to boil. Bring to boil. You wont need a cezve pot to make this Turkish coffee recipe In order to make your own brew of "Milk of Thinkers", heat water in a pan, add coffee and sugar to taste.

After some experimenting, you'll have an almost authentic Turkish coffee. You can try adding cardamom if you like the taste.

What is Espresso Coffee?

Espresso coffee is more popular today than it has ever been at any time in its history, perhaps thanks to the marketing power of coffee giants such as Starbucks. Many of the most popular drinks that we consume everyday are made using espresso, rather than the more traditional filter or drip coffee. Drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and machiatos.

Given this strong popularity for these espresso drinks, it's surprising that many people don't actually know what an espresso is. For anyone who has never had an espresso, the first taste can be quite shocking. An espresso is very concentrated, and comes in a very small cup. However, it packs a large punch and the flavor can take some getting used to. (In other words, your first impression might be that you just swallowed something vile. But don't worry, it gets better with experience.)

Espresso is made by forcing very hot (not boiling) water through finely ground coffee. The coffee is ground more finely than filter coffee, but is not as finely ground as Turkish coffee, which is more like a fine powder.

Originally, espresso machines used steam pressure to force the water through. Today, a spring piston lever machine is used, which used a piston to generate the pressure and force the water through the coffee. It is important that the temperature does not go too high or low, as this will spoil the beverage. The ideal temperature is 85 to 95 degrees Celsius.

If the water is too hot, the espresso will be too bitter. If it is too cold, it will be too sour. As you can see, making espresso drinks is a very exacting job, and care must be taken to do it right. The people trained to do this are called baristas (which is Italian for barman).

As the water blasts through the coffee, it extracts the flavor, oils, sugars and proteins and dissolves them. This results is a very potent mixture that has a very strong, yet rich and subtle flavor. It also has all the caffeine of a large cup of filter coffee, giving it a strong kick.

To enjoy these drink at its best, it is important to drink the coffee as soon after it is made as possible, definitely within 2 minutes. If you intend to blend it to make espresso drinks, you need to do so within 10 seconds of pulling the espresso.

This is because the flavor packed volatile molecules in the drink rapidly degrade, both through contact with oxygen and as the heat leaves the drink.

The espresso is made up of 3 different parts, the heart, body and the crema, which is the delicate, creamy foam that naturally forms on the top of the drink. The crema is a sign of good espresso, and care should be taken to ensure it is preserved. To do this, some people use pre warmed shot glasses, which prevents heat loss.

There is no such thing as an "espresso roast" - you can make good espresso from light or dark roast beans. A very dark roast is a bad idea, as it can lead to a burnt, charcoal taste. The only important thing is that the coffee is ground to the correct grade, and that the beans are freshly roast.

Selecting the blend is important when making espresso drinks, as it is for any kind of coffee drinks. The factors to concentrate on are sweetness, aromatics and smoothness.

Also, the type of grinder used is important. The best choice is a conical burr grinder. This will produce a consistent grind (the particles will all be the right size), and will also make sure that the coffee does not overheat as it is ground (this would spoil the aroma).

How to make the best espresso drinks could fill books, as there are many factors to balance. This is why coffee shops spend so much time training their staff. When you find a place that serves excellent espresso, recognize that this is not just a happy accident, and recognize the skill and care that goes into making this most demanding drink.

Malcolm Blake has written more information about gourmet coffee at http://www.coffeewebinfo.com. Come and find out more about gourmet coffees .

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