Greek coffee is the most popular drink in Greece.
Greek coffee is drunk for breakfast, throughout the day, or in the evening.
Greece has an abundance of coffee shops, some large, some small, some franchised cafes. But they all have one thing in common, you can take a table, order a Greek coffee, and sit there for hours sipping your coffee reading a newspaper, playing backgammon , or what ever, and no one will chase you out.
Before the 1960’s Greek coffee was called Turkish coffee
but because of political tensions between Greece and Turkey it started to be referred to as “ελληνικός καφές” Greek Coffee. The name Greek coffee gained momentum especially in 1974 when the Turks invaded Cyprus. It is one and the same.
Turkish is popular throughout Southeastern Europe and in many parts of the Middle East and in the Ukraine.
How to make Greek coffee
To make Greek coffee you must have a briki, a small steel, brass or copper pot with a long handle. They come in various sizes but a 2 to 6 cup is usually found in most stores. You will also need demitasse cups and saucers, and sugar.
Brass Decorative Decorative
The coffee is served in demitasse cups which is 2 to 3 ounces.
To make the coffee fill the demitasse cup with water and put it in the briki.
Add 1 heaping teaspoon of Greek coffee into the briki for each demitasse cup of water.
Add the sugar. This is a personal taste.
Sketos: no sugar.
Metrios: medium sweet, 1 teaspoon of sugar for each cup.
Glykos: sweet, 2 teaspoons of sugar for each cup.
Place the briki on a burner and turn the heat on medium low.
After a few minutes when the water gets warm stir the mixture until it dissolves. Stop stirring once it’s blended. Do not stir again or you will lose the traditional foam.
Stainless Steel
Continue to slowly heat and watch for the foam to rise and remove from heat right before it begins to boil.
The foam is called kaïmaki and the richer the foam, the better.
If you making 1 cup, pour the coffee into the cup and enjoy.
If you’re making more than 1 cup, pour a little into each cup, then go back to the first cup an fill each cup to the top. This is done so that each cup will have some foam on top.
Greek coffee is usually served with a glass of cold water.
You can also serve a sweet biscuit or cookie with it.