Macedonia FAQ: Turkish coffee

Turkish coffee

Tursko Kafe
pronounced: tour-sko kah-feh

4 heaping t (Turkish coffee)
3 heaping t sugar
1-1/2 c water

Bring water to a boil in a Turkish coffee pot or small saucepan. Meanwhile, put coffee, sugar and 1 T water in a cup and blend it until smooth and well blended. When water boils, pour in coffee mixture and bring to a boil again. Turn off heat, let it settle and serve immediately.

Turkish coffee is usually served to guests, together with slatko or baklava, with icy water on the side. The traditional way to drink Turkish coffee is with a guest, accompanying a long conversation. The guest is served three coffees: the first one is the welcome coffee, namely the ozguldum coffee, the second one is the coffee to accompany the conversation, called the muabet coffee, and the last one is called the farewell coffee, or the sikter coffee.

Women have found additional reason to enjoy the Turkish coffee. Macedonian women can read the fortune of the person who finished drinking the coffee based on the patterns formed on the side of the cup, after it has been flipped over. This is not common among men coffee drinking.

Macedonian Cultural and Historical Resource Center
Last Modified: August, 1997

Created and Maintained by:

Macedonia FAQ Development Team