As a coffee enthusiast I always excited to try new blends and flavors wherever I go. Besides being served tea on numerous occasions I made a point of tasting several lattes and cappuccinos. The average latte was too foamy but always strong and the cappuccinos were too frothy. The best part, however, was actual Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee differs from percolator and instant varieties, in terms of the way it is grinded and served. Coffee beans are roasted a few times and then grinded very fine. Turkish coffee is prepared in tiny pots called cezve, which can be used to make two cups of coffee at each shot. It was very dark and the grounds were heavily based at the bottom of the cup. It tasted sweeter at the top and was heavier and stronger towards the bottom.
My favorite part of the Turkish coffee was the fortune telling associated with it. After finishing as much of the coffee as you can tolerate, you are supposed to place the cup upside down on the saucer it was served with. You wait a couple minutes as the remaining grounds slide down the cup / wait for the grounds to change in whatever way they will. 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. After interpreting the shapes on both the inside of the cup and on the saucer the individual is left a little uneasy because you realize how accurate it is. Regardless, whether or not you truly believe it is a fun activity to connect you to a rich culture filled with mystery, intrigue, and of course, fortune.
