Middle eastern coffee is often referred to as Turkish coffee. Other terms include Greek, Arabic, Armenian, Albanian, or Bosnian coffee. It is taken quite seriously in those areas especially Turkey itself. There is a ceremony attached to the drinking of Turkish coffee – it is often prepared with great care and is drunk slowly in small sips. Just as well as the amount served is quite small. It is a strong flavored coffee and not to everyone's taste. Just like with regular coffee, there are differing flavors of coffee and different types of beans used.
The vessel used to prepare the coffee is called an ibrik – a small pot which holds one or two servings. It is also sometimes termed a cezve, briki, mbiki or toorka. It has a long handle made from metal – often, but not always, brass or copper– and has a narrow top compared to the bottom together with a wooden handle. Medium high roast coffee is used and it is finely ground (hence the strong flavor).
Sugar is put into the ibrik and water added. This is then brought to the boil whereupon the coffee is added. When the liquid froths with the boil, it should be taken away from the heat. Stir and repeat two times. A small amount of cold water is added in the final boiling process to help things settle.
Drinking Turkish coffee is an art form in itself. One must not rush and making slurping sounds whilst drinking adds to the effect and custom. Many people like to have a glass of water as this freshens the mouth prior to tasting the thick flavorsome coffee. There is inevitably a layer of sludge that develops in the cup – this is not drunk. As with tea, the remains of the coffee can be studied as a way of attempting to see one's fortune