If you want to taste coffee with a different twist, then you should try drinking Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is the name for a method for preparing coffee rather than a variety. It is also known by a variety of other names like Arabian coffee, Armenian coffee, or Greek coffee. To get started though you’ll need the best Turkish coffee grinder for the best Turkish coffee.
Turkish coffee is made by boiling ground coffee in a pot, sugar is added while the drink is boiling in the pot and the solid remains of the coffee beans are allowed to settle to the bottom. As you can see by the names by which this method of preparation is known it is quite common in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Balkans. The reason why this method of preparing coffee became identified with the Turks is because the coffeehouse first became fashionable in the Ottoman Empire and they used this method of preparing their drinks.
In preparing traditional Turkish coffee a manual grinder is used for the beans. The best Turkish coffee grinder can grind coffee very finely. The grinder is usually made of three parts. The first part of the grinder is the rod that turns the shaft, the second part includes the upper portion which has the burrs, and the lower compartment which keeps the coffee that has been ground. The modern electric coffee grinder is not adequate for making the finely ground coffee that is needed for Turkish coffee, but a traditional Turkish coffee grinder is not as easy to find as a modern coffee grinder. They are a little bit rarer especially today since most of them are still hand made.
The best way to buy a traditional Turkish coffee grinder is to travel to the countries where they are still being made. Turkey is still one of the bigger markets for that type of grinder. Most of them are still hand crafted.
Another good method of finding this type of coffee accessory is to locate an ethnic store that sells items and products from other countries. Remember that this form of coffee is popular in many countries aside from Turkey. You have a good chance of finding these grinders in Armenian, Middle Eastern, and even Greek ethnic stores. Probably the easiest way of finding a Turkish coffee grinder is through online shopping sites including eBay. Here are some of the best Turkish coffee mills that you can find on the web; these are modernized versions of the old manual grinders.
Zassenhaus Turkish Mill- This mill is made in the old tradition of Turkish mills. They are very portable and can easily be packed. This mill is made from high quality steel that is sure to last. You can buy this Turkish coffee grinder for about $90 but I must warn you that it is quite rare and hard to find now.
Porlex Mini Hand Mill- This is certainly a mini mill standing at just about 5 inches, but it will deliver high quality ground coffee. This grinder is a pretty good modern take on the old traditional hand grinders. You can get this mill for about $70.
Hario Slim Mill- This is perfect for preparing small quantities of coffee and is perfect for travellers. You can get this Turkish coffee for about $35.