Arabic Coffee ~ Syria & Lebanon

[Twitchin Kitten]

Coffee, which derives from the Arabic word qahwa, was introduced into Europe via Turkey from Arabia. The drinkinf of coffee is a very important activity in the Eastern Arab world. Men spend hours during the long summer evenings, and whenever they can during the day, sitting in cafes, sipping cups of coffee. The women drink coffee while visiting one another in thier homes.
Business and barganining in the marketplace never take place without drinking coffee. At home, it is served as soon as visitors arrive, always freshly brewed and usually with freshly roasted and pulverized coffee beans.
I can remember as a child when my father's side of the family gathered and after dinner the 'adults' would drink "Arabic Coffee" and one of my fathers cousins would read the fortunes in the grinds.
You would drink the coffee and turn the cup upside down letting the grinds run where they will, and you get your fortune told by the way the grinds look.

Arabic Coffee
Qahwa 'Arabiyya

serves 4

Ingredients:

4 heaping tablespoons pulverized coffee
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups water
1 cardamom seed, crushed

Place the coffee, sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Then, when the froth begins to rise, remove from the heat and stir. Heat again until the froth rises, then remove from the heat and allow to settle for a fewminutes.
Add the crushed cardamom and stir. Then But a little froth into each cup, pour the coffee and serve hot.

Note: The sugar may be omitted if desired and the coffee can be seved bitter or with an artificial sweetner.

The above is made in a traditional Arabic or Turkish coffee pot and served in very small traditional cups.
If you don't have a source for pre-ground Turkish coffee, you can grind your own beans with a special grinder.

Coffee Grinder:
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Coffee Pot:
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Traditional coffee sets:
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