Greek Coffee (Ελληνικός καφές)

In my last entry, I told you have I've cut smoking but I still have plenty of other sins such as drinking alcohol, decadent foods (and other things your dad warned you about).

For about a month now I've been exclusively drinking Greek coffee. I've rediscovered Greek coffee and I've been enjoying making it:

the ritual watching over the coffee coming to a boil, of waiting for the coffee grounds to settle and then, sipping it until you taste the mud at the bottom.

Greek coffee is a strong brew, served with foam on top (Kai-maki) and the coffee grounds on the bottom. One is served a Greek coffee in a demi-tasse cup (like an espresso cup).

In Greece, the ritual of drinking Greek coffee occurs twice a day. The first Greek coffee is sipped in the morning as a jolt to wake up the the morning and the second jolt comes after waking up
from the afternoon siesta or "mesimerianos ipnos".

Greek coffee is always served with a tall glass of cold water and a small cookie lika a Koulouraki or sweet on the side, like a biscotti (Paximathi), Melomekarena or in this case, Amygdalota.

Greek coffee is easy to make. You'll need to buy Greek coffee, which is a fine grind and you'll find in small, vacuum packed bags at most stores that sell Greek food and drink items.

To make Greek coffee, you'll need a briki, cold water, sugar and of course, the coffee. Greek coffee can be made in four different ways. It can be sketos (without sugar, strong and bitter), metrios (medium, usually with one teaspoonful of sugar), glykys or vari glykos (almost honey-sweet) and glykys vrastos - sweet but boiled more then once so it loses most of its froth.

Depending on which kind of Greek Coffee you like, measure and add into the briki the coffee, a teaspoonful of coffee per cup, and the sugar. For a medium coffee the best balance is to add the same amount of sugar as coffee. For a medium coffee the best balance is to add the same amount of sugar as coffee.

Greek Coffee (Ελληνικός καφές)

• Greek coffee
• Sugar (if used)
• A briki (μπρίκι)
• Demitasse cups
• Cold water
• Water glasses

1. Using the demi-tasse cup, measure the amount of cold water will need to make your servings of coffee and add the appropriate amount of sugar (you can only make one kind per order).
2. Using a spoon, stir to dissolve the coffee and sugar in the water. Place the briki on your flame and watch over your coffee closely (do not leave it alone).
3. You want to serve Greek coffee with the foam (kai-maki) and as soon as you start to see the coffee rise and foam, quickly take the briki off the heat and pour into your guests' demi-tasses.
4. Serve with a glass of cold water and a cookie or a sweet.

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