Ah, Turkish coffee. First, it is important to clarify: this is, for all intents and purposes, the same as Greek coffee, but more commonly known as the former. We apologise to Greek readers on this subject.

I first had Turkish coffee in Kyiv, and it is thanks to a seriously smooth talking friend there that I have my very own ibrik. Turkish coffee uses beans of the finest grind, often reffered to as pulverised. On a scale of ten, they should be ground to one, with espresso beans at between three and four. As Turkish coffee is boiled, rather than filtered, steeped or exposed to high pressure steam, this very fine grind creates a high surface area, allowing the flavour to leave the grinds as quickly as possible.

Turkish coffee is most commonly made from a blend of Brazilian and Ethiopian beans, blended with cardoman for flavour. Sugar is also often added to the brew prior to boiling. Traditionally, it is prepared in an ibrik, a small copper or clay beaker that can be heated on the stove. As these can be hard to obtain, a small saucepan can also be used.

Where making an espresso can become a science, and the cafètiere-brewed coffee somewhat of a bore, Turkish coffee is a pure art, one that the maestro must practice to get a feel for: only basic instructions can be provided. It is more of a potion than the others, and if the ceremony is conducted correctly, one can work a certain air of magic into the proceedings.

The basic rule is as follows: one generously heaped teaspoon of each of the ingredients for every cup to be filled. (Personally, I prefer to scrimp on the sugar, but the most common demand is on medium sweet, and for this one heaped spoon of sugar per cup should suffice.)

After loading the ibrik with the coffee and sugar, place it over a low heat and attend it until the boil. When it is about to boil over, quickly remove it from the heat, stir, and then return to the heat. It will boil over again quickly, and again it should be removed from the heat. This time, do not stir as the coffee grounds begin to settle. Return to the heat for a third time, and when the froth threatens to boil over for a third time remove from the heat and begin to pour the coffee into the cups.

When pouring, alternate between the cups, and ensure that both receive an equal amount of the froth. Be careful when pouring so as not to tip too many of the powdery grains into the cup: the same applies when drinking, do not treat it like an espresso as other wise the cup will deliver the dusty grains and ruin the experience.

Please note, coffee grounds block drains very easily, especialy so the fine Turkish variety. To avoid this, when washing your ibrik tip the grounds into a flower pot or outside (they make excellent fertiliser).