Türk Kahvesi (Turkish Coffee)

Ottoman Empire — coffee houses (kahvehane) established in Istanbul by 1554; the brewing method spread across the former Ottoman world from the Balkans to the Arabian Peninsula

Turkish coffee is a method as much as a beverage — finely ground coffee (almost powder consistency) simmered with water (and optionally sugar) in a long-handled copper cezve until a dense foam rises, then allowed to settle, then brought to the foam-rise point a second or third time before being poured, grounds and all, into small porcelain cups. The grounds settle to the bottom and the coffee above is drunk, leaving a thick sediment that has been used for fortune-telling (tasseography) for centuries. The foam is the indicator of skill — a foamless Turkish coffee is considered a failure. Sugar is never added after brewing; the diner specifies sweetness level before preparation (sade — plain, az şekerli — little sugar, orta — medium, çok şekerli — sweet).

Served after meals (never during), with Turkish delight (lokum) or a small piece of chocolate; the cup is small (60–80ml) and consumed in sips over 10–15 minutes; the fortune-telling ritual follows when the cup is inverted and read