History of Greek Coffee
The concept of drinking coffee in Greece is almost a sacred event. The Greeks take their coffee time very seriously. Their ellinikós kafés is unlike any other, and it has a fascinating history and a unique way of preparation. What’s more, coffee-drinking is a social event intrinsic to the Greek culture.
How it Began
The first coffee shop - or kafenio in Greek - opened as early as 1475 in what was then Constantinople. As the Ottomans occupied the majority of the Balkan countries, they brought coffee beans with them from Constantinople.
In fact, Greek coffee was known as Turkish coffee up until the early 1960s, when relations between the two nations began to deteriorate. In 1974 when the Turks invaded Cyprus, the name was officially changed to “Greek coffee.”
The Different Types
There are 3 main types of coffee served the Greek way:
Sketos
For serious coffee drinkers, the sketos style is strong and bitter, made without any sugar. The beverage appears rather thick as the sugar hasn’t cut through the coffee powder.
Metrios
The most popular way to drink this coffee is metrios style. Boiled with a single teaspoon of sugar, this preparation is neither too bitter nor too sweet.
Glykos
For those with a sweet-tooth, glykos is the only choice. Usually made with two teaspoons of sugar; however, it is common for consumers to ask for their own desired amount of sweetness.
Made and Consumed
Unlike other coffees from around the world, the Greeks have their own unique way of preparing it. Firstly, only the finest coffee beans, like these mentioned by Coffee or Bust, are used.
The brewing utensil used is called briki. Similar to a bronze coffee pot, small, but tall, shaped like a cylinder with a spout at the end for easy pouring. The drink begins with a heaped teaspoon of ground coffee and the desired amount of sugar. The sweetener gets added during the brewing process, and Greek coffee can never get stirred once made.
The next step is the creation of the kaimaki; this is the froth on top. It needs to be very thick and cover the entire top of the cup. The kaimaki is formed once the water starts boiling and the ground coffee bubbles up forming a delicate foamy coating.
Traditionally, the beverage is served in thicked-rim white cups, with a small handle and a tiny saucer. These are quite similar to espresso cups. A sweet pastry goes alongside the drink.
Related video: How to make a Greek Coffee
Coffee Culture
Walk through any town in Greece, and you’ll see kafenios dotted all over the place. Most commonly the domain of men, usually the older generation, they will gather here to drink coffee, talk about politics, and play the occasional game of backgammon.
There’s an interesting Greek custom related to drinking coffee. Once the beverage has been finished, the cup gets turned over the saucer so that the thick residue left at the bottom slides down the side. Local fortune-tellers then use the pattern that appears to tell the consumer what the future has in store for them.
Unlike Any Other
Greek coffee gets prepared in the same unique way today as it has for centuries. From its origins as Turkish coffee, it now has a name and a brand of its own.
Lovingly made from only the best coffee beans, in a traditional briki and served in small ceramic cups with a sweet treat, ellinikós kafés is not just a beverage, it’s an authentic experience.
A trip to Greece wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a kafenios. Coffee drinking is a social experience for all Greeks. Coffee time is a small ceremony over which Greek people gather together, bond and discuss daily life.
