TURKISH COFFEE

An ancient Turkish Proverb proclaims: Coffee should be Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love.

Here's how the Turks made that most heavenly Turkish Brew.

Start with the traditional long-handled ibrik or small saucepan and one heaping teaspoon of finely ground Turkish coffee. (Turkish Coffee is a dark-roasted coffee that produces a bold flavored brew.) Pour 1-1/2 demitasses (3 ounces) of water into the pan, add two generous teaspoons of sugar and bring to a boil. Stir in the coffee and boil up three times before removing from the fire. Add a little cold water. Serve the froth first, then carefully pour the thick brew into the cups, taking care to reserve the bulk of the grounds in the pot. If possible, use a strainer.

Turkish coffee is definitely a drink that takes some getting used to. Virtually every step in the process of making it is "incorrect" by today's standards. But they must have been doing something right. Turkish Coffee was the reigning brew of choice for over 400 years, and is often attributed with the spread of coffee drinking to Europe.