Strong and Thick Coffee

Strong and Thick Coffee

How to make cups of espresso or Turkish coffee at home?

Espresso (Italian for 'pressed out') is a very strong coffee made by forcing a mixture of steam and water through twice the normal amount of finely ground coffee.

At one time, espresso was available only in cafes and restaurants with enough space to hold professional espresso machines, but there are now many smaller machines designed for home use. In addition, some coffee is labeled espresso for filters and cafe tierces: this kind will have the strength of an espresso, but without the steam treatment it is not likely to taste the same.

Turkish or Greek coffee is made with finely ground coffee in a long-handled open pot (ibrik), or an ordinary small saucepan. Water and sugar are put in the pot and are brought to the boil, the coffee is added and the pot returned to the heat. When the mixture is brought to frothing point the pot is removed until the froth settles. It is frothed and removed twice more, and then this strong, sweet brew is poured into tiny cups to serve.

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