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Greek coffee comes from beans that are roasted and pulverized into a fine powder. The brewed coffee is thick, strong, and aromatic. Greek coffee is unique because it is served with foam on top, called kaimaki. It is traditionally brewed in a long-handled cylindrical pot known as a briki (though a small, deep saucepan will do as well).
Briki pots come in 2-, 4- or 6- demitasse sizes and are available in Greek specialty shops. Greek coffee cannot be made in larger quantities because the kaimaki comes to the top of the coffee pot and it loses its proper consistency if made with larger amounts of coffee and water. Without the kaimaki, or foam, the unusual coffee flavor is lost.
Greek coffee is usually served plain, moderately sweet, or very sweet; below is a general recipe that will serve for all three levels of sweetness. Reaching a consensus on how to brew kafedaki, however, was no mean feat, since every Greek has his or her own way of doing it.
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| What You Need: |
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PLAIN (SKETO)
˝ cup water
1 tablespoon Greek coffee
MEDIUM (METRIO)
1 teaspoon sugar
˝ cup water
1 tablespoon Greek coffee
SWEET (GLYKO)
2 teaspoons sugar
˝ cup water
1 tablespoon Greek coffee
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Place the sugar (if used) and water in the briki or saucepan and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Remove pot from the heat and add the coffee; stir well.
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2. Return pot to low heat. As soon as the coffee has risen almost to the rim of the coffee pot, remove the pot from the heat and let the coffee subside (about 15 seconds).
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3. Return pot to heat, and heat again, almost to the boiling point; remove from heat and let coffee subside again, about 15 seconds.
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4. Return the pot to heat a third time, and as soon as the coffee starts to rise to the rim, remove from heat and pour a little coffee into each demitasse cup to distribute the kaimaki. (Having the coffee rise three times is what gives the kaimaki the correct consistency.)
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5. Pour the remaining coffee into each cup, being careful not to disturb the kaimaki already in the cups. Serve hot. Since the grounds are poured into the cup along
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6. With the brewed coffee, you must let the coffee stand for a few seconds to allow the grounds to settle. Sip carefully, without disturbing the grounds. Accompany with a glass of cold water.
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NOTE:
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A kafetzou is a fortune-teller who specializes in reading the future from the grounds left in the coffee cup. When you finish your coffee, leave a little liquid in the cup, invert the cup on the saucer, and let it dry upside down for a few seconds. The designs made by the coffee grounds will give a clear picture of your fate to any passing kafetzou.
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To Make: 2 demitasse cups
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