Dear Albanians: We Are At Your Service!

Yes folks, it's that wonderful time of year again.

Lately things have been hectic at Turkish Coffee World as we gear up for the holiday rush (who wouldn't want to find a Turkish coffee gift basket underneath the Christmas tree?) That's no excuse for the measly posting rate on this blog-- but I do plan to post far more often as we approach the new year.

Pending that whole end-of-the-world scenario falls flat, of course.

Although much of our energy has been directed toward our seasonal traffic, we are proud to make a very special announcement: Kafe Shqiptare has produced the worlds first uniquely Albanian coffee! 

And here's the best part: we are now the sole U.S. supplier for their Albanian coffee!

We are overjoyed by this opportunity to support Albanian culture!

From the shores of the Adriatic to the smallest mountain village and from the streets of Tirana to the cities of the New World, there is one thing that brings together all Albanians: love of coffee.

Kafe Shqiptare was born out of an independent spirit and a love of the distinctive coffee-house culture Albanians share. Kafe Shqiptare SKËNDERBEU has introduced the world’s first uniquely Albanian coffee, firmly rooted in the finest traditions of the Albanian coffee house.

You heard it here, folks: We now carry delicious, finely-ground, neighborhood-style Albanian coffee.

This truly is a Turkish Coffee World.      

Alright-- I'm off to go caroling, Turkish Coffee World style!

"Jezvehs roasting on an open fire..."

Hip New Southern California Turkish Coffee Shop

 

We are proud to announce the opening of Dripp in Chino Hills, California! 

As traditional coffee shops fight to carve out their spot in a saturated market, up against corporate giants like Starbucks McDonalds (the latter has seen startling success in the coffee game lately), owners are continuously looking unique products that will give them the upper hand. What does this mean? More coffee shops are warming up to serving Turkish coffee as a way to differentiate themselves from competition. With that in mind, we wish the best to our friends in Chino Hills, Dripp, who were recently featured in LA Weekly!       

A few years ago, Rabih Sater was working in the energy industry. A few years ago, the country was mired in a Great Recession, and the energy industry, like most other industries then (and now), slowed down considerably. Rather than holding out to become, say, an oil baron à la Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, Sater decided to focus on an entirely different type of black gold: coffee. His "coffee boutique," Dripp, opens in The Shoppes at Chino Hills this week and brings Intelligentsia beans and Turkish coffee to the Inland Empire.

Click here to read more of Tien Nguyen's LA Weekly article. 

Turkish Coffee Flan?

After seeing numerous recipes for Espresso Flan and wondering if Turkish coffee could be used instead, I decided to give it a try. I based my Flan recipe off of Majories Candies YouTube video about making caramel custard (flan). The results were amazing! 

Ingredients:  

1/2 cup sugar 
1 qt. milk 
6 eggs 
1/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla 
approx. 2 tbsp brewed & strained Turkish coffee (one serving)

How Turkish Coffee Helped My Dad Quit Smoking and Continue Living

My dad enjoying some Turkish coffee.

Even though my family is Turkish, we didn't discover the delights of drinking Turkish coffee until a few years ago. My dad sort of stumbled up on it while looking for ways to quit smoking (after a heart attack, he knew that if he wanted to continue living, his terrible smoking habit would have to stop.) 

While my dad was reading everything he could get his hands on to figure out how he could quit smoking, he read somewhere that the best way to lose a bad habit is to swap it with a good one. That made a lot sense to him, so he started to search for a “good habit.”

People that have had to quit this habit know that one of the worst times the cravings occur is right after meals. He needed something to help during these periods and started to make Turkish coffee after his meals.

Why Turkish coffee?

Because it requires patience, it takes concentration; it’s drunk sip by sip, which is great for curbing urges.
There are several reasons for it being a relaxing activity. For one, Turkish coffee is not the kind of a beverage you can just grab it and run with it, or gulp down on the rush to work. You have to sit down before you can even drink it-- otherwise, it will spill because the cups are so small!

Going camping? Brew your coffee over coals like a true Ottoman!

According to Ottoman tradition, a Turkish coffee is ideally cooked over some hot coals that have burned for a long time and settled into ashes. You can easily replicate this method at a beach, camp site or right at home.

By Any Ethnic Name, Turkish Coffee The Best Buzz Around

Leon Kaye posted a great article about the politics of Turkish coffee for Salon.com, researching the words that people call the beverage and regional differences in preparation and presentation. 

"The best coffee, however, is Turkish coffee. Armenians will cry foul at that moniker, as Armenian coffee is the perfect ending for a meal whether you are in Glendale or Yerevan. Greek coffee at a Plaka cafe after traipsing about the Acropolis is a nice cap after a day playing tourist.

Whatever country you may be in, just be sure to name the coffee based on what it is called within that country’s borders. Political sensitivities aside, however, most experts agree that the coffee bean made its way from Ethiopia to Cairo and Mecca, and eventually, to Istanbul--where coffee culture then started to thrive. Hence the general term, “Turkish coffee.”

Click here to read more.

Turkish Coffee in Santa Monica: Flying Saucers Café Turns 1-Year-Old

By Elina Shatkin, Tue., Oct. 19 2010 @ 8:15AM 7XSQST3XQDHR

Courtesy of Flying Saucers

There are some neighborhoods where Turkish coffee is easier to find than an out of work actor. Santa Monica isn't one of them. At Flying Saucers, owner Ryan Morris, 33, makes excellent Turkish coffee, the old-school way.

Ground with cardamom, cinnamon and other spices until it's so fine it's like dust, the brew is served unfiltered. Don't stir. This is a ritual that requires patience. Let it settle as it forms a muddy layer at the bottom of your demitasse cup. Fortunately, Flying Saucers is the kind of café where patrons like to linger.

More than a drink: Turkish Coffee

Written by Umut on March 7th, 2010 in Eat & Drink, Turkish Culture 

Photo by Charkrem 

I’m one of those people who likes to drink coffee as a first thing in the morning. Coffee is a like a wake up call, a morning pleasure, a working inspiration, a break from busy times, a reason to share and an indispensable taste for me…  But among my addiction for all kinds of coffee, there’s one special kind which is not only a drink but also a ritual. It’s not the kind of coffee that can be grabbed on the way to work but deserves a special time to enjoy it. It’s called “Turkish Coffee” and I’m in love with it!

Turkish coffee Cezve/Ibrik competition

A competition was held last Sunday at Ishtar Restaurant in Marylebone in UK to find the best Turkish coffee maker was won by Aysin Aydogdu from Twickenham.  Aysin, who is a barista, won the Cezve/Ibrik competition held by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe.  Coffee makers from Britain, Iran and Uzbekistan were invited to participate.

City of Coffee: Houston Coffee Culture

By Robb Walsh Published on November 10, 2009 at 1:08pm

Some people drink coffee for the jolt. Some people drink it for the flavor. But coffee is, in fact, part of an ancient social ritual as elaborate as the culture of alcohol.

Ethiopian Coffee
Blue Nile Restaurant - 9400 Richmond, 713-782-6882

At $10 for three people, or $20 dollars for six, the Ethiopian coffee ceremony at Blue Nile Ethiopian restaurant is one of those exotic luxuries we can all afford. The coffee ceremony is an ancient and integral part of Ethiopian culture.

First the frankincense is lit, and then you are given a basket of popcorn — it is customary to enjoy a salty snack with your coffee. Blue Nile buys the best imported Ethiopian coffee and then hand-washes, hand-crushes and roasts it for the coffee ceremony. The beans are brought to your table so you can take in the aroma.