I don't have a coffee problem -- why, who told you that?

Turkish coffee is my new addiction relaxing beverage of choice. It's nothing super special or exotic -- just normal coffee beans ground extra fine and prepared a certain way -- but I'd never tried it until coming here. Ever since getting a Turkish coffee pot over the first Eid break, I've been making a cup or four to wake myself up every weekend, getting better and better at it with each pass (not that it's hard, but I just had no idea what I was doing when I started).

My trusty and somewhat overpriced coffee pot, courtesy of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

The pot is filled with enough cold water for the desired amount of coffee. This one can make about 6 cups: a cup of Turkish coffee is conventionally about the size (and strength) of an espresso shot.

The coffee grounds get thrown in on top of the water, about a heaping teaspoonful for each cup to be made. Coffee beans for Turkish coffee are all but ground down to a powder. The idea is to boil them directly in the water, instead of letting them sit in a filter. I don't stir them in, I just let them dissolve into the water on their own. The coffee I use also has some cardamom in it.

Then I heat the water, but as slowly as possible. On this setting, it takes about 20-30 minutes to bring the pot to a boil.

I add a couple teaspoons of sugar, again without stirring.

Eventually the coffee comes to a boil. The pot comes off the stove right when it boils and then sits for a bit while the dregs settle. Then -- pour, drink, and leave the leftover grounds at the bottom of the coffee cup. On days when there's enough time, this stuff beats out machine-brewed coffee by far.