The Original Coffee

Kahve is Turkish style of preparing unfiltered coffee using a copper “cezve” (pronounced “jezz-va”). It is enjoyed by brewing together coffee grounds and water over a flame. Very simple. 

History of Kahve In 1517 the Ottoman Governor of Yemen discovered a new beverage made from coffee beans. He decided to introduce it to the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The new drink impressed the Sultan so much that he gave the Royal seal of approval. In the Ottoman palace, a new method of drinking coffee was soon discovered. The coffee beans were roasted over a fire; finely ground and then slowly cooked with water on the ashes of a charcoal fire.
The popularity of kahve spread and soon Turkish Style Coffee was being enjoyed by everyone not just the Royal Sultan. People were becoming Turkish Coffee makers and opening up Coffee shops. The first koffee house or “Kahve Kanes” was established in Istanbul in 1554. In 1656 the Ottoman Grand Bizier Köprülü issued laws for shutting the koffee houses. According to history people were gathering in coffee houses and were discussing politics. Some of them were talking about ways to downfall the Sultan as well. The laws did not last long and the laws were abolished.

To Venice and Beyond - The Coffee Merchants In 1600 Turkish Merchants made their way to Venice and began selling coffee beans abroad. Thanks to the efforts of merchants and travelers who passed through Istanbul, coffee soon spread to Europe and ultimately to the whole world.

The most distinguishing feature of Kahve is not the preparation. Kahve is unique because it allows your fortune to be told by looking at the cup. The custom of Kahve coffee cup reading (or tasseography) is a centuries-old ritual still practiced today. 

The coffee should be drunk only from one side of the cup. When the coffee is finished, the empty cup is placed on top of the saucer, a wish is made, and the saucer is flipped over. With the saucer still covering the top, the cup is held at chest level and turned counter-clockwise a few times. Following this, the cup is turned upside down onto the saucer and left to cool. Sometimes, a coin is placed on top of the cup to dispel bad omens. When the coffee cup is cool enough, someone other than the person who drunk the coffee opens the cup and starts interpreting the shapes for divination. 

Coffee cup reading is a widespread and popular fortune telling method, which speaks of both the past and the future. For divination purposes, the coffee cup is considered in two horizontal halves. The shapes in the lower half talk of the past, whereas shapes in the top half talk of the future. The shapes that feature on the right side are usually interpreted positively, while shapes on the left are interpreted as signs of bad events, enemies, illnesses, troubles, and the like. According to another belief, the coffee cup can tell the past but it can only foretell forty days into the future. In addition, if, at the reading stage, the cup and the saucer are firmly stuck, and the person is having trouble separating them, it is believed that this particular cup should not be read. This is a case of “prophet’s fortune telling,” where it is assumed that the person who has drunk from the cup is lucky, and does not need to have their fortune read.