Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Travel Blasphemy #1: Turkish Coffee


Nescafe, this traveler's friend. Credit: Nestle.


A lot of international travelers rave about turkish coffee and sneer at instant coffee.

I like a good cup of coffee, myself. I drink it black, no sugar.

If I'm going to have an espresso drink, I'm going to have an espresso or an americano. Because there's no milk, sugar, or other flavorings in the coffee, I can taste the beans, the roast, and the preparation. I know the difference between a good cup of coffee and a bad cup of coffee.

Hell, I've even been to the birthplace of coffee. Twice.

Coffee roasted Ethiopian style



If an establishment doesn't make a good espresso, then I'll just have the house brew, thank you very much. Why spend the extra money for a product that's no better than the brewed?


So when I say I am just as happy with a cup of instant coffee, strong, as I am with a turkish coffee, I do so without embarrassment. In my experience, most turkish coffees are no more flavorful than ol' Nescafe, giving me insufficient reason to suffer the sludge at the bottom of my cup.

And when I'm traveling, instant coffee is a loyal friend always ready to give me a dose of energy without any fuss.


For the record, though, my favorite coffee is at Coffee Zone in Jefferson City or Columbia, Missouri. Their everyday brewed Rocket Fuel is so muscular, it'll walk your cup right off the table if you don't keep an eye on it. To get Taisir or Osama's espresso would be redundant. (But for those who like turkish coffee, you can get that, too.)

Taisir Yanis' Coffee Zone, Jefferson City, Missouri

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