Turkish Coffee Happy Hour 14th Edition
Washington D.C. - On December 3rd, 2021 The Yunus Emre Institute in Washington D.C. hosted the 14th edition of its fan-favorite Turkish Coffee Happy Hour, which will be the final edition of 2021. Numerous guests from many different backgrounds joined this event to thoroughly understand the intricate and fascinating history of Turkish coffee. Guests were able to learn about its history and social significance, get an intimate look at the brewing process, and eventually they were able to show what they had learned in a competitive trivia game.
Guests were welcomed by the Yunus Emre Institute staff, Harper and Jocelyne, who briefly went over the outline of the program. Once everyone was settled in, guests entered the misafir odası, meaning guest room in Turkish. They learned about the historical and cultural significance of Turkish coffee, dating back to the 16th century Ottoman Empire. To get a better idea of the brewing process, guests were able to enter the mutfak, meaning kitchen, and watch a video that demonstrates the proper way to make an authentic cup of Turkish coffee. The following sohbet session, meaning chat, provided a nice break for guests to talk and ask questions about Turkish coffee. Finally, guests were able to compete with each other in a head-to-head trivia competition and the winners will receive an authentic Turkish coffee set!
The audience shared many questions and stories about Turkish coffee culture. People asked questions about what the difference between Turkish coffee and espresso is. Harper explained that Turkish coffee is a few centuries older than espresso and has a completely different roasting and brewing process with arabica beans and not robusta beans. Additionally, another guest wanted to know about what lokum is made of, which is the sweet treat that is served with Turkish coffee. Generally, lokum is made of corn starch with some powdered sugar and can be made into hundreds of different flavors like pistachio, lemon, orange, or even rose. This edition’s group of guests loved learning about the many dimensions of Turkish coffee and played a great game of trivia for the coveted Turkish coffee set. Though it was the final edition of Turkish Coffee Happy Hour in 2021, many of them commented on how much they want to try to make Turkish coffee in their own home this winter.
The Yunus Emre Foundation is a public foundation designed to educate the public about Turkey and its language, history, culture, and art. The Foundation makes such related information and documents available for use in the world. Facilitating cultural exchange between Turkey and other countries is a central objective of the Foundation. If you are interested in receiving more information, please email washingtondc@yee.org.tr.