Several times a month I come across someone trying to buy whole bean Turkish coffee. I responded with an apology for not carrying coffee from Turkey - that is, until I learned that Turkish coffee refers to a method of brewing, not an origin of a coffee bean. Similarly, you don't have to use French Roast to make a French Press or even an Espresso Roast to prepare Espresso. All of these methods suggest using a dark roast, but it is not a crime against coffee to use a medium roast.

Turkish coffee is one of the first known ways coffee was brewed. It was developed in the 16th century and spread to neighboring countries. To brew this coffee at home you'll need an ibrik or cezve (depending on which country you ask). Traditionally the vessel is made of copper with a long wooden handle, but you may find it constructed with other metals as well. It has a wide base to aid in containing the coffee grounds and a narrow spout to pour from. This brewing apparatus was developed to be placed in the hot desert sand to boil, but in the absence of this blistering sediment, placing it on a stove-top will do just fine.

I found a selection of ibriks on www.natashascafe.com ranging from $15-$32 depending on the size. They are available in 2, 4, 6, and 8 cup amounts. A cup size is measured by a large espresso cup of about 3 ounces. When selecting your ibrik, remember that a pot that's too small will result in overflowing during the foaming process and a pot that's too big will cause the foam to stick to the sides and can contribute to a bitter cup. You'll also need a metal stirring spoon and a Turkish mill to grind the beans. You can use a standard coffee grinder on the Turkish setting, which is typically the finest setting - even finer than espresso.

Fill the ibrik with cold water by measuring with the 3 ounce cup times the number of cups it is designed to hold. Then add one heaping teaspoon of coffee and one half teaspoon of sugar per cup. The large amounts of coffee and sugar is what begets the saying, "Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love." You may also add authentic flavors such as cardamon or anise during this stage. Stir the cold water, coffee, and sugar (or spices) until the sugar has dissolved. Place the ibrik on the stove on medium low heat, as too hot of a setting will damage the coffee. Don't stir the coffee but be sure to watch carefully.

Ordinarily, boiling coffee is a faux pas. In this case boiling, and re-boiling for that matter, is a must. As soon as the coffee boils and froths, remove from heat to let settle. After the froth has settled, return to the heat until a second boil is reached. Repeat the settling and replacing to the heat for a third boil. For a more traditional cup, the coffee should be served after the third boil. Or for a cleaner cup, remove from heat, stir to settle the grinds, and replace for a fourth boil. After the fourth boil is reached, remove from the heat and serve. Alternate between the cups to ensure that an even mixture of all the coffee layers are distributed. Enjoy! But be careful: it's one black, strong, sweet cup!

For a local taste of Turkish coffee without all the work, patronize the Egyptian Café. For more information on Turkish Coffee visit www.coffeegeek.com. To see a tutorial on how to make the coffee yourself visit www.wikipedia.com.