Ellinikos Cafes
By Dimi Deliyiannis

Greek coffee is loved and enjoyed by most Greeks and other cultures too. Its similar to expresso in that it is drunk out the same size cup, but the taste and preparation is quite different. Learn more about this true Greek icon

Greek coffee is prepared in a special saucer, known as a "briki". It is usually made of brass, aluminum or copper and is a small, pot that has a long handle and a lip.

There are three traditional ways to make Greek coffee : Sketos, meaning plan and without sugar, Metrios, which usually contains one teaspoon of sugar per teaspoon of Greek coffee, and the last method is Glykos, which means sweet and is pretty much what the names says.

If you are trying coffee for the first time, we suggest you go with "Metrios" and adjust it from there.

Make a cuppa
Firstly you will need to buy the coffee, in South Africa the most famous brand is Papagalos. Please do not mistake Greek coffee with espresso, if you want the real thing you must first buy the correct ingredients.

For every cup of Greek coffee, fill 1 Greek coffee or espresso cup with cold water and pour into the briki. Add one heaped teaspoon of Greek coffee per cup. You will also need one and a half teaspoons of sugar per cup of coffee. For instance if you are making three cups you will need: three cups of water, three heaped teaspoons of Greek coffee and four and a half teaspoons of sugar - get it? Simple.

Stir well and bring to the boil over medium heat on the stove top . Continue to stir until the coffee has dissolved. Keep holding the briki handle as once the foamy surface starts to bubble you will need to remove it from the stove top quickly. Allow the coffee to stand in the briki for a good few second up to one minute.

To pour the coffee, specifically when you are making more than one, make sure that you pour evenly, bit by bit into each of the cups until they are all full. This will allow you to give each cup a taste of the delicious "kaimaki".

Serve the Coffee with its saucer and compliment it with a glass of cold water.

How to drink it
Greek coffee is meant to be enjoyed. Never rush your Greek coffee drinking experience. Usually Greek coffee is enjoyed with a good "kotoboliya" or chat among friends. Take in generous sips while conversing with friends.

When you begin to reach the end of your Greek coffee, you will notice it becomes "mucky" or "muddy". This part is not usually drunk as is most commonly used to "read the cup" and tell you your future, another common pastime among Greeks.

If you're interested to know more about Greek coffee cup reading, basically what you need to do, once your coffee drinking experience is finished and you have reached the muddy part, turn the cup up side down onto its saucer. Allow it to stand for a while, during this time the mud runs down the inside of the cup forming shapes and patterns that can reveal something about your future.

If you are keen on having your cup read, make sure you go to someone who is well known for this. If such a person exists in your community you would already have known about him/her (usually a lady) as they become "famous" for their ability to read the cup.

Thirsty yet?
We hope that this article has tickled your taste buds and encouraged you to grab a cup of Greek coffee. Its delicious, and after you prepare it just once you'll be an expert and can share the "secret" with all your friends