Coffees of Anatolia

You may not know the history of coffee, but you will not come across an 'Anatolian' person who does not know the history of his own coffee. This miraculous berry, which spread from Ethiopia to the world, was used in countless areas before taking the form of a beverage. It is even written that at one point it was burned during religious ceremonies to perfume temples. It was first produced in drinkable form at the beginning of the 16th century when Yemen was part of Ottoman territory. The unique and coffee-like "Yemen Dilberi" (Beauty of Yemen) mentioned by historian Evliya Çelebi was obtained from coffee beans grown at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level. In other words, it was the ancestor of the delicious Mocha we drink today.

Photo credits: Mohamed Al-Sayaghi/Reuters

The Yemen beans we mentioned create a wonderful infrastructure for the Anatolian coffees we will talk about in the next steps. Let's meet the delicious, almost forgotten, ready-to-discover coffees of Anatolia, which covers 95% of Türkiye today. DIBEK COFFEE

First of all, what is a "dibek"? Dibek is the name of a large mortar made of stone or wood, used for crushing and separating grains, coffee, etc. Coffee beans ground in a mortar always have larger grains. When the coffee grinder was invented in the first half of the 19th century, it became easier to grind coffee, but for the Anatolian people, coffee ground in a mortar with large pieces was more acceptable. Naturally, when you drink it, you expect coffee grounds to come into your mouth even with your first sip. MANDABATMAZ COFFEE - Istanbul If you ask where to drink coffee while traveling around Istanbul, you will receive countless suggestions of places. However, there is a place you should discover before time passes and humanity becomes extinct. The name Mandabatmaz is formed from the words "buffalo" and "batmamak". They say that the coffee is so dense, the foam is so thick that even a buffalo cannot sink.

But let's tell the truth, Uncle Cemil used to say that he was inspired by a song in the 1960s that included the word manda for this place. The Turks know it very well.

The technique is actually not to burn the coffee directly, not to boil it, and to buy it fresh and brew it. https://maps.app.goo.gl/SgNXQQDJPma6PWkR6 SURYANI (ASSYRIAN) COFFEE - Mardin

Mardin, the city where countless peoples, including Assyrians, Armenians, Yazidis, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Chaldeans, live together, marry, and share their meals. We must admit that such a city with its natural spirit and family structure is rare in the universe. In this multicultural Mardin, 3 beverages are produced and consumed in homes: Assyrian Wine, tea with saffran and Assyrian Coffee. The prominent element of Syriac coffee, which is much more intense than the Turkish coffee you drink today, is cardamom. The cooking technique is also different. It is made by boiling for a longer time compared to Turkish coffee. The cardamom in it helps digestion and is also good for nausea. If you really like cardamom, boiling it for longer will give it more aroma. Bon appetit. TAHMIS COFFEE - Gaziantep Let's Travel in time. We are in a coffeehouse opened in the city of Antep in the mid-17th century to bring in income for the Mevlevi lodge. Along with it, 33 other shops were opened. It was restored after a fire in the early 1900s. The men of the city would gather here, sip their coffee and watch the poets argue. They called the place 'Tahmis' coffeehouse. Tahmis means "the place where coffee is pounded". The coffee would be pounded in large mortars made of walnut wood with tools made of walnut tree. Tahmis coffee is not only a style of Turkish coffee, but also a historical place. MIRRA - Urfa / Mardin / Diyarbakir In the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye, there is a coffee that is drunk more than any other beverage: 'mirra'. Mirra, unlike Turkish coffee, is drunk quickly and does not have to wait for it to cool. It is thought that coffee that has cooled loses its flavor. The pleasure of holding coffee served in small cups without handles is also wonderful. The person serving the coffee has a cup and a pitcher in their hand. It is served to the older ones first and should be prepared to be served at least twice per person. The cup is not filled to the brim. The person drinking the coffee does not take a sip and leave the cup that is still full on the table, knowing that if they do, they will be punished. In the Mirra culture, it is customary to light a cigarette after drinking coffee. CYPRUS COFFEE - Northern Cyprus Like any Turkish coffee, Cypriot coffee is made in the same way. The most important feature of coffee is that the Cypriot people do not like coffee beans that are roasted too much. Lightly or medium roasted beans make the coffee easier to drink.

YANDAN CARKLI (KITLAMA) COFFEE - Erzurum

In Turkey, when you order your coffee, they ask you if you want it sweet, black or medium. There is no such question for the people of Erzurum city and its region. Cube sugar is served with coffee and tea and if a person wants some sugar while sipping their drink, they take bites. The "kıt" (bit or sounds like 'cut') sound they make when they break the sugar with their teeth is called "kitlama".

ADANA GAR (TRAIN STATION) COFFEE - Adana

There is a coffee that you can order in Adana, a city located in the Southeast of Türkiye; Gar Kahvesi (Train station coffee). When ordering coffee in Adana, the first thing they ask is "Turkish coffee or Gar?" Gar Kahvesi takes its name from the business that has been located in the Adana Train Station for 4-5 generations. This tradition was probably started by the workers who came here early in the morning and went to the fields. The workers who did not want to miss the train wanted to drink a strong coffee from double-roasted beans. Over time, the people adopted this culture and taste and its name became "Train station coffee". Its highlight is that this strong coffee is served in a Turkish tea glass. MIHRIMAH SULTAN COFFEE

As we know, coffee culture came to the lands of "Konstantiniyye" in the 16th century during the reign of Sultan Suleyman. Sultan Suleyman had a wonderfully educated daughter; Mihrimah Sultan. Mihrimah Sultan is not only a wonderful daughter, but also goes down in history as the richest woman in Ottoman history.

After trying this coffee and finding it too bitter, dear Mihrimah Sultan decided to drink it with milk. Although it is not a very common tradition for Turks, this taste that was about to disappear started to be appreciated day by day.

You put the milk in a 'cezve'(coffee pot) with coffee and mix it, then put it on the fire and take it off the fire before it boils. That's it. MENENGIC COFFEE - South east/South/Center Anatolia "Menengic" is actually a type of pistachio. Pistachio and coffee culture, which grow in the Southeastern Anatolia region and are the bottom line of the Turks, should have come together. Menengic grains are cooked in the same process and procedures as coffee. Since it also gives a smooth Turkish coffee taste, it has been accepted with great pleasure.

Menengic - Pistachio coffee, which was introduced to the country in the 1970s, quickly settled into Turkish culture due to economic and political reasons. Since it does not contain coffee, it is caffeine-free.

Menengic coffee can be found in almost many local coffeehouses today. CILVELI (Flirty) COFFEE / DAMATLIK - Manisa

We decided to leave our last coffee to the one that looks modernized but is quite traditional. Let it be Cilveli, or flirty coffee, specific to the Manisa region.

Turkish coffee is deeply rooted in Anatolian Culture, not only with its preparation but also with its endless traditions.

Before the wedding, the groom's family visits the girl's family and during this meeting, the bride prepares and serves coffee to everyone in the house. According to this tradition, the groom should drink salted coffee. Today, this tradition continues even in modern families, even for fun. However, things are more enjoyable in the city of Manisa. The groom is served coffee with plenty of almond crumbs on top. If the almonds are bitter, it means the bride does not want to get married, if they are sweet, it means she wants to get married.

The groom should also drink the coffee without spilling a single almond.

The grounds of this coffee are added abundantly so that it foams a lot and then the almonds do not sink when they are placed on top. Did you know that we organize Turkish Coffee workshops? Send us an e-mail and we will inform you. Click Here. Sanem Yucesoy foodandfashionmag@gmail.com