Arabian coffee

Yesterday, I tasted "arabic" coffee for the first time, and I start to understand why the Egyptian version of Turkish coffee is so flavorful - because it seems to be a blend of the two of them. Traditional arabic coffee seems to be made entirely from cardamom (hebaham). It is served with sweet delights (nuts covered in dates and then covered again in either sesame or caraway seeds). Combined, the coffee leaves this smooth and mesmerizingly warm all over feeling - refreshing especially after a day of fasting.

Turkish Coffee

Turkish coffee is fabulous. Next to it, Nescafe (or American coffee) seems like flavored stale water. As they prepare the Turkish coffee in Egypt, it is so incredibly flavorful and strong, they add amazing spices which include delicious cardamom in the coffee grind.


The best made coffee has a nice little thick bubbly layer on top, called wissh (or face in English). You can put a few drops of cold water into this with your finger - I am not sure why this is done, but I think it has something to do with getting the grains to settle at the bottom.

Be careful, do not drink the cup to the bottom! Leave the grains behind!

Interesting facts:
- in Albania they drink the same coffee but with milk

- if you get tummy troubles while traveling in Egypt, be sure to ask for a cup of Turkish coffee prepared with lemon - all of the Nile cruises are well acquainted with this natural remedy.

- Egyptian fortune-telling is done by turning the remains of a clear glass of coffee cup upside down and reading the patterns in the grains.