Greek coffee at a glance
The idiosyncracies of Greek coffee
I thought perhaps a description of Greek coffee is warranted. I started drinking coffee aged 29, beginning at the deep end with espresso, although granted with added sugar! (My fiancé, who is Greek, scoffs at any coffee polluted by the addition of milk!)
Before properly exploring mainland Greece, and being relatively wet behind the years regarding my knowledge of coffee, I first tried Greek coffee out of politeness and to not be the odd one out at a café when out with friends, and to be honest I didn’t hold out much hope that it wasn’t another crazily strong black fuel favoured by my fiancé. Additionally, I don’t believe many non-Greeks would necessarily order it in Greece over more tried and trusted forms of filter coffee, Cappuccino, Espresso or a flat white, even though it uses the same bean varieties, albeit more finely ground. However, it has rooted itself fairly squarely on the podium of my coffee preferences.
It is naturally sweeter than its counterparts, served thicker by means of less water for dilution and a lack of filtering the fine-grains, as if you are drinking velvety liquid silk, and served in small cups, larger than an espresso cup but smaller than a teacup. This use of finely grained coffee beans is one of the main differences. The next is its means of creation: It is brewed using a small trangia-like mechanism or a small long-handled copper pot (a μπρίκι) over a flame, one cup made at a time to ensure the foam is retained, signifying it is properly roasted. The third main difference is the existence of a layer of sediment which habitually collects at the bottom of your cup and meets your tongue if you sip in too bigger quantities if unused to it- this layer is often nearly 1/2cm thick.
When ordering Greek coffee (Elinikos Kafés), you have 3 sweetness strengths to choose from: γλυκό (glyko- sweet), μέτριο (metrio -medium), or σκέτο (sketo- without sugar). My preference is always μέτριο as it’s usually the safest option without fulfilling your entire daily sugar quantity in one fell swoop, but also being palatable enough to drink without producing facial expressions akin to sucking a lemon. For the neat espresso lovers amongst you however, σκέτο is probably more suitable!
Constantinople in the late 1400s, during the era of the Ottoman empire, first saw the consumption of what is now known as Greek or Turkish coffee, when the Persians traded coffee beans internationally. And for those of you wondering, there is very little if no difference between Greek and Turkish coffee, each country claiming it as part of its culinary culture. For the centuries following, Greek coffee has been the omnipresent companion to any meet up at a café, καφενείο, home, or village square- essentially anywhere where conversation occurs. Arguably, it is of even greater importance to conviviality than food, quite a claim for a country with such a rich menu of delectable dishes and pot based wonders!