Why Is Turkish Coffee Heated With Hot Sand?

If you've been lucky enough to try authentic Turkish coffee, you'll know how truly special the traditional drink is. Rich, sweet, and incredibly bold and creamy, Turkish coffee has been a staple of life in the Middle East since the 16th century. There is a huge culture surrounding coffee in Istanbul, and it's part of many social customs and rituals, like telling someone's fortune with the leftover grounds. But what makes the coffee really special is that it's brewed over hot sand, which creates its distinguished flavor.

Turkish coffee is made in a tiny, long-handled copper pot called a cezve. The cezve is filled with finely ground Arabic coffee, water, and sugar before being nestled into a layer of fine, clean sand heated in a wide pot. The sand creates a barrier between the pan and the cezve, ensuring an even heat distribution. It also allows the person making the coffee to control how close the cezve gets to the heat, and it prevents the grounds from getting stuck at the bottom (the water-to-coffee ratio also helps with that issue).

The cezve is gently moved around the sand as the coffee is brought just below a boil, allowing the flavors of the coffee to slowly be extracted from the beans without overheating. This prevents any bitterness, and it creates the signature foam and complex flavor associated with Turkish coffee. Plus, the coffee can be made very quickly using this method.

The cezve is removed from the sand as soon as the foam emerges, and it's then left to rest for a few seconds so that the grounds can settle. Another characteristic of Turkish coffee is that it's served with the grounds still in the cup. A demitasse cup is also used, which is half the size of a regular coffee mug. The fine grind of the coffee and its presence at the bottom of the cup create a velvety, thick texture that's unique to Turkish coffee. And while a medium-roast is usually used, it still tastes bold and full-bodied.

You don't have to make Turkish coffee over sand (it can also be brewed right on a pan), but it does make it more authentic. If you want to try it out at home, just pour some sand into a heat-resistant tray or skillet and place it on the stovetop over medium heat. You want the sand to get to about 380 degrees Fahrenheit and remain at a consistent temperature.

You'll want to use sand that's free from any impurities, like the ones used for children's sandboxes or in aquariums. Make sure you follow a recipe your first time around to avoid the mistakes everyone makes with Turkish coffee, and remember adding sugar during the brew is the only way you should with Turkish coffee. The amount is up to you, but if it's your first time, you might want to aim for the sweeter side.