How To Make Turkish Coffee Using What You Already Have At Home

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Turkish coffee isn't your everyday cuppa that can slip unnoticed into your day. It's a singular coffee drinking experience — potent, thick in consistency, and intensely flavorful. Finish a cup (but don't drain it!), and you'll feel the colorful energy of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar churning inside you. The reason you never drain your cup, and also why you should never stir Turkish coffee, is that this brew isn't made like most other coffees, where the grounds are filtered out. Instead, they are allowed to settle at the bottom of the cup. And speaking of coffee grounds, Dr. Honeybrew, owner of Dr. Honeybrew's Turkish Coffee Room, puts those grounds to good, somewhat mystical use by reading the drinker's future in them.

Based in New York City, Dr. Honeybrew's Turkish Coffee Room offers a theatrical fortune-telling experience for in-person visitors or a remote experience through Dr. Honeybrew's Coffee Fortune Box. In an exclusive with Chowhound, the coffee seer delved into the intricacies of Turkish coffee and what distinguishes it from its American counterpart. "Turkish coffee must be sipped like expensive Scotch. American coffee, you can gulp it down like Jack Daniel's," he says.

Dr. Honeybrew has also found a way to make relatively authentic Turkish coffee at home without specialized equipment. "I realized that when hot water (at a specific temperature) is mixed with Arabica coffee, you can conjure a cup that is perfectly suitable," he explains. So, whether you want to unravel the mysteries of your future or simply experience a deeply flavorful cup that every coffee lover needs to try at least once, know that it's possible to brew Turkish coffee right at home with just some high-quality coffee and hot water.

Turkish coffee, though slightly different from Greek coffee, also uses finely ground Arabica coffee like the latter. Stateside, coffee that's made for espresso, which is also finely ground, works as a substitute. Use a medium or dark roast variety, which highlights the deep notes this style of coffee is known for. Sugar, while optional, can be avoided, especially if it's the first time you're sampling Turkish coffee.

When it comes to brewing, the simplest method to make a version of Turkish coffee, per Dr. Honeybrew, is to mix boiling water with 1.5 tablespoons of ground Arabica coffee in a mug. Then, simply give it a stir (the "doctor" specifies stirring for seven seconds), let the cup rest for a few moments to let the coffee grounds settle, and enjoy your homemade version of Turkish coffee. "The major difference between Turkish and American coffee is that the former is unfiltered, whereas the latter is filtered," points out Dr. Honeybrew. Thus, some of the fine coffee grounds stay suspended in the coffee, giving it a thicker, richer mouthfeel. The rest of the coffee grounds settle to the bottom of the cup (and can be used for fortune-telling, if required).

While exceedingly easy to make, it's worth noting that this will not give you the full effect of the real deal. "It is not traditional, but in this day and age, we have to get creative to move things forward," agrees Dr. Honeybrew. You can still pair your homemade brew with a traditional Turkish breakfast, or, as is custom, enjoy Turkish coffee interspersed with sips of water and pieces of Turkish delight.

If you have the time and inclination to put a little more effort into recreating Turkish coffee, consider making it on the stovetop instead. Remember that it is traditionally drunk in small cups that are slightly larger than espresso cups, so measure out water accordingly into a pot. Add one heaped teaspoon of ground coffee per cup being served, and bring the coffee-water mixture to a gentle simmer on low heat.

The process with a stovetop pot is actually quite similar to what you'd do if you have a traditional cezve — the small metallic pot used to make Turkish coffee. In fact, it's easy and relatively cheap to acquire a cezve like the Volarium Turkish coffee pot, which will allow you to make authentic Turkish coffee at home. Irrespective of the pot used, low heat is crucial to not burn the coffee and brew a deeper flavor. "Having the patience to cook the coffee at a low-medium heat will always result in a richer and more rewarding drinking experience," explains Dr. Honeybrew.

An important visual cue to look for when making this style of coffee is the fine layer of foam on top. When brewing in a pot, turn the heat to low (or pull the pot off the heat) as soon as you see the bubbles. After resting for a few seconds, put the pot back on the heat until the bubbles form again. Repeating the process helps develop flavor. In a cezve: "The moment you start to notice little bubbles percolate on the rim of the cup, that's when you know to stop and pour the brew," instructs Dr. Honeybrew.