Coffee

Coffee (kahve) was introduced to the ancestors of present-day Turks by Syrian traders in 1555. Initially, coffee beans were consumed directly or crushed and mixed into food. Later, coffee was rendered into liquid form by fermenting beans. Out of this came elaborate preparation rituals which could require the services of as many as 40 people. Coffee is not a beverage that is served as an accompaniment to meals, not even at breakfast as in the West.

During the Ottoman Empire, coffee was banned. Harsh penalties were meted out to coffee drinkers. Death by drowning was the prescribed punishment for repeat offenders. Drinking coffee came to be associated with dissident activity. Despite the draconian punishment, the ban made drinking coffee even more popular. It remains a staple item in social relations among adults. When meeting with others, whether for business or pleasure, the host always offers his guests a cup of coffee. No serious conversation transpires until coffee has been served.